
cias S : 5T\ \ n xi. 

BookJEJiE 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




BERTHA RASMUSSEN. 

Her godly life went out from this world to shine more fully in 
the other at the age of fifteen years and ten months. 



A 

YOUNG MISSIONARY 

OR 

The Life of 
Bertha Rasmussen 



WRITTEN BY HER MOTHER 

MRS. HANNAH RASMUSSEN 



Renfember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." " My 
Father, thou art the guide of my youth." — Bible 



CHICAGO, ILL. 

S. B. SHAW, PUBLISHER 

212 & 214 W. Chicago Ave. 






LIBRARY Of OOWQRESS 

stp si? iyo5 

OLASS <^ AM f-'Ji 
<3©PY B. ' 



Copyright, 904 
By Hannah Rassmussen 



PREFACE 



When I .felt that God wanted me to write a short sketch 
of my daughter's life, it was done with much prayer, and 
with the desire that it might go out to bless the world, and 
with the expectation that it might stir up its readers to a 
closer walk with God, and if possible roll the burden of a lost 
world on young soldiers, and lead them to give their lives 
for the cause that was on the heart of our dear departed. If 
this is accomplished, my labors will be well recompensed. 

Her Mother. 



INTRODUCTION 



Our acquaintance with Bertha Easmussen, the sub- 
ject of this sketch, began when she was about eleven years 
of age, through correspondence, in the interest of the 
famine children of India. A missionary spirit pervaded 
her letters, indicating that the spirit of God was moving 
on the heart of the child in behalf of the heathen. Later, 
at about fourteen years of age, Bertha came with her 
mother and brother to the Vanguard Missionary Training 
Home, St. Louis, Mo., and became an efficient typesetter, 
spending part of her time in school. She was a lovely 
Christian character and gave promise of great usefulness 
for God. A year later she went to McGee Holiness Col- 
lege, College Mound, Mo., and went home to glory from 
there. Her beautiful life can never cease to bear fruit 
unto God. We trust this " Memoir" will be the means of 
bringing many to Jesus. 

Vanguard Office, ANNA ABBAMS. 

St. Louis, Mo. 



PUBLISHER'S NOTE 

Nothing is more helpful and inspiring than the life and 
testimony of those who in their early years, in childlike sim- 
plicity and sincerity, have fully given their hearts and lives 
to God. 

Bertha's short life was full of loving service for Jesus. 
This service was the joy of her heart. She often talked 
not only of home mission work but of the foreign fields, 
and rejoiced in the thought of the privilege of leaving home, 
friends, and native land to give herself as a living sacrifice 
to help rescue the perishing. 

Her mother is an evangelistic worker and home mis- 
sionary who still lives, helped and inspired by the memory 
of her sainted daughter, to carry on the work that the 
daughter has laid down. We trust that this book will lead 
many young hearts to Jesus, and help many who are already 
His to fully consecrate their lives to His service. 

We pray the blessing of God to rest on all who are per- 
mitted to read this book. 

Yours in Christian love, 

S. B. Shaw. 

Chicago, III., Nov. 25, 1904. 



A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

The subject of this narrative was born June 4, 1885. 
Impressions were made from her earliest existence that she 
would make a soldier of Jesus Christ, and even from the 
time of babyhood she suffered for Jesus' sake. Various 
instances come to my mind now, which I am obliged to keep 
from the public. 

At six years of age she was soundly converted to God. 
She would read her little simple book explaining the Bible, 
and sing her little songs. She would sing and pray, and 
the Lord would come to her little heart in such melting 
power. She would weep and praise Jesus for His great 
salvation. Christian parents were always anxious to have 
her influence brought to bear upon their children. 

When nine years old she was sanctified. She was raised 
in an ungodly neighborhood, and went to the district school, 
and came in contact with everything the devil and the world 
had to give, and did not always keep clear. One night she 
came home from school feeling very sorry, the enemy hav- 
ing gotten the victory, and wanted to get right with God, 
but felt she must confess to her mother before she could get 
clear, which she did, for she always felt that God was not 
pleased to have her keep anything from her mother. She 
would always say to any one who would tell her things that 
were not to be told, " I will not tell to any but my mother. 
I never keep anything from her." I believe she ever kept 
the victory after that. 

We always prayed together over everything, and always 
got the victory. The sweetest recollections of my life are 



6 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

the seasons I have spent with my dear children before the 
Throne of Grace in those years they were growing up 
around me. 

Bertha's godly judgment and counsel were remarkable, 
and became a blessing to many and to her own brother, 
whom she helped to keep in the way when the enemy almost 
had the victory. The first time I remember was when small 
children going to school she had him go back to school 
and ask forgiveness for something he had said, and so kept 
him from backsliding, for all my children were saved when 
small. No wonder when she went to live with Jesus, he 
prayed that her spirit might rest upon him to keep him in 
the way. 

As early as she could read her Bible, she took it for the 
man of her counsel. She kept the Sabbath day, and the 
other commandments, in which she put to shame many 
old Christians who made high professions. Many times she 
came to me with her Bible open to some promise that she 
thought would encourage her in her struggles of life. 

She was a great burden-bearer, and stood by me from 
her infancy. She had great faith in God, and was indeed a 
wrestler, and many victories did she pray out. Before she 
was in her teens she got hold of God for my healing. While 
in secret prayer, God told her He would heal me. She 
came in and told me. We both knelt down, and God healed 
me. She believed all God said in His Word. She studied 
well the subjects of sanctification and divine healing. She 
took down many references, and her Bible was well marked. 
She was unselfish, and very thankful for the least God gave 
her to sustain life, and always had an encouraging word 
for everybody, always leading people to Jesus, always work- 
ing for Him, either with individuals or crowds. During 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 7 

camp-meetings she would get the children together, and 
have meetings with them, and lead them to God. 

In 1897, when the great famine was in India, her heart 
was so burdened for those starving children that she took a 
little child to support. She earned money by selling relig- 
ious papers, canvassing one way or another, and any small 
amount given her went into her treasury for the starving 
ones, until she sent ten dollars one year; then Jesus took 
the little child to heaven. 

One day on coming home from canvassing she said she 
had been thinking about the child-widows of India. She 
felt so blest and thankful to God that she was not born there, 
and have to be married and suffer as they did. In the prov- 
idence of God a letter has come to me that she wrote about 
this time. I will copy it as it came to this country in the 
India Watchman: — 

Here is a letter for the Watchman, children, from a little girl 
who lives in the United States of America : "lam eleven years old. 
Jesus has saved me from sin. He is good to me, and I am going 
to serve Him. He gives me grace to do His will, and blesses me. 
When I hear about the starving people, I want to do something for 
them. I always pray for them and the missionaries. When I sit 
down to the table, I often think of the people in India, when I have 
plenty to eat, and I am very thankful for what the Lord gives me. 
I will send one dollar to give to the starving children. I wish I 
could send more, but I can not now. I believe the Lord has called 
me to be a missionary when I get large; and if He has, I will be 
one. Yours in Christ, Bertha. 

" South Dakota, U. S. A." 

The two years between 1897- 1899 were years of great 
sorrow, through which my health went down again. This 
dear angel, as I will call her (for she was a wayside angel, 



8 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

lent to me for so short a time), was a great comfort to me 
during this period. She was twelve or thirteen years of age, 
what most people would call a child ; but she was like a 
mother to me. She would carry our common sorrows and 
burdens to the Lord, and leave them there ; at least she 
never mentioned any, but always wore a shining face and 
had an encouraging word or some promise out of the Bible. 
" The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace,' " 
was one among her many mottoes. 

My other daughter taught school, and was only at home 
Saturdays and Sundays, so my dear Bertha had to do all 
the waiting on me during my sickness. She slept in an 
adjoining room ; but if I but spoke her name in a common 
tone, she would in that minute be at my side with her shin- 
ing face. The only sleep I had for a long time was when 
she was on her knees by me with my hands in hers, praying 
for me. She never became an old missionary, but was truly 
a missionary the short time she was with us : and although 
she has ceased from her labors here, I have many proofs 
that her work still goes on. Amid all the sorrow and suf- 
fering, of which God alone knows, during those years, we 
had many refreshing times together in prayer to our heav- 
enly Father and great Protector, who assured us of His 
approval and presence, and that He would never leave nor 
forsake us. Hallelujah to our God! 

" O, the children of the Lord have a right to shout and sing, 
For the way is growing bright, and our souls are on the wing." 

Although our path may be full of thorns and briars to 
entangle, yet when we have the smiles of God, the way to 
heaven is in truth a delightful way. We find that Jesus did 





CHARGES, BERTHA'S BROTHER. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN II 

not take all the glory with Him when He went to heaven, 
but left some all along the road for us to enjoy as we travel 
on. As the poet says, — 

" He has trod the way before us 
And His glory lingers near." 

Carrying the burdens of the home on her young hearts- 
she did not fight with flesh and blood, but with the powers 
of darkness, with which we are surrounded. Her only 
weapon was prayer. I will just mention one time here 
among the many. She knew that something was coming. 
She went to the cornfield to talk to her Father in heaven, 
with whom she was so intimately acquainted, and who had 
heard her prayer so many times, and overturned things, 
and even now had all power in earth and heaven. She. 
went out for secret prayer, and it was not long before we 
heard praises to God and shouts of victory go up from that 
cornfield a quarter of a mile away. That was a real hal- 
lowed place to her. It was where she met her heavenly 
Father so many times, and where she put on strength for 
the battles of life. She told me about that later, 

God saw fit in His mercy to raise me up to health once 
more, and in the providence of God I went with my son 
to St. Louis, Missouri, and left Bertha with her sister, who 
was teaching, and in the care of her heavenly Father, Here 
is part of a letter she wrote to Miss Anna Abrams, editor 
of the Vanguard, St. Louis, a little while before I went 
there, and while I was yet sick : — 

Miss Anna Abrams. 

Dear Sister : Your letter was very encouraging, and mother felt 
real good for two or three days after she got it; but she gets so 



12 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

nervous sometimes she can not rest nor sleep, and she desires you 
to pray for her. There are times she can rest quite well, and again 
she can not rest at all, and she is so weak she can not do anything. 
The Lord is very near her, and does hear our prayers, and she feels 
better for a while ; then she seems as bad as ever. 

I have a sister teaching school, and brother and myself go to 
school. Ma would like to see you, but she has not been able to go 
anywhere for a long time. I praise the Lord to-night for salvation. 
It is the best thing in the world. I do feel that the Lord saves and 
sanctifies me. It is so good to be saved, and know you are ready to 
live or die, and that your peace is made with God. Good-by for 
this time. Your friend, Bertha. 

Here is a letter written to her brother and myself after 
we went to St. Louis : — 

Dear Mother and Charles : We were very glad to receive your 
letter. You got along so well on the way; and we are especially 
glad to hear that you had such a good birthday, and that you got 
healed. I feel to praise the Lord for doing so much for all of us. 
He has done a great deal for each of us, healing and sanctifying 
Charles, and healing you, mother ; blessing and helping us all. I 
am glad you are both so well in body. 

School is out a week from Friday. Won't it seem lonesome 
then? I get quite lonely sometimes without you, but I guess it 
doesn't hurt me. Bessie said, tell you that when you needed more 
money to say so. 

There was a man around here taking orders for liquor. Isn't it 
awful? He was not here, but was all around. I heard since the 
Dakota boys have been down to Manila there have been two or 
three hundred saloons started ; not a very good honor to America. 
[She always took an interest in prohibition, and influenced all she 
could to vote for it.] 

You write often about me coming down there sometime. Do 
you really think I can ? I would like to see you awfully well. I am 
still saved, sanctified, and on the way to heaven. 

Your loving, Bertha. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 1 3 

There are several letters here which I refrain from put- 
ting in, except she says, " I would like to see you real well, 
but I want you to do what the Lord wishes." Also her 
testimony, which runs like this : " I am saved, sanctified, 
and the Lord blesses me. How I would like to see my 
brother Charles, the dear old boy." 

May 5. 

Dear Charles and Ma : I am at Bessie's school to-day. Bessie 
was quite sick, and I was going to help her teach. I expect a letter 
from you folks to-night. We got to town last night too late for the 
mail. 

Bessie writes, " Bertha is teaching for me now. You ought to 
see her. She would make a fine teacher. One thing sure, the 
scholars would have to know their lessons." 

June 2. 

Dear Ma and Charles : We went to church last night. Sister 
Booker was there. 

June 4. — It is my birthday to-day. 

June 5. — I got up early this morning, and worked steady all day. 
I sat down once or twice in the afternoon. The Lord wonderfully 
helped me, and although not extra well, I did not get very tired. 
The folks are going to have a supper to-night in honor of my birth- 
day. Well, praise the Lord, He saves me from all sin, and I would 
sooner have Him than all the world. 

June 6. — Well, everything went off last night as well as could 
be expected. The people seemed to think they had a nice time. I 
got a number of nice presents. I am getting more interested in the 
Bible all the time. I believe the Lord is drawing me closer to Him. 
Praise His name ! I do want to go to camp-meeting. Praise the 
Lord for salvation, which is the best thing in the world. I am quite 
lonesome this morning for Charles. I hope he is getting along all 
right. 



14 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Dearest mother, I am saved, sanctified, and on the road to heaven. 
Praise the Lord. Bertha. 



I must here refer back to a Miss E , with whom she 

formed acquaintance at a tent-meeting previous to this, who 
also got saved at the meeting. Dear Bertha went to see her 
many times, and talked and prayed with her until she got 
really established on the Rock. In the same meeting there 
was also a young man who professed that he was saved, 

who paid considerable attention to this Miss E ; but 

he was not living the way a Christian should. Dear Bertha 

knowing this, informed Miss E , and was the means of 

saving a Christian girl from among the many who are de- 
ceived, thinking they are marrying a Christian man, but 
only one who simply professed religion long enough to get 
married, but they find to their great astonishment they have 
been tied down to an ungodly man. Bertha wrote several 

letters to Miss E , but it is now several years ago. I 

would be glad to give them to the readers, but do not know 
how to find them. Her work was always to help some one 
to Jesus, and to keep out of the snares of the enemy. 

My Dearest Mother: I should like to see you very much, when 
I think how very kind and good you always were to me. When I 
go to prayer-meeting, I pray and testify. I try to live as I should. 
We are getting along very nicely. It seems as though the Lord 
has been nearer to me since you went away. It makes me think 
that He is so good to me to make up for your absence. I would 
like to see Charles awfully well, so would Bessie. I would like to 
do more for your comfort than I ever did before. 

When I get lonesome I go out with Bessie to her school. I am 
saved and sanctified. Your affectionate 

Bertha. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 15 

This dear child speaks of doing more for my comfort. I 
can not see where she could do more, for she was at my side 
night and day with a cheerful face and a willing heart, and 
never thought of her own comfort. 

My Own Dear Brother and Mother : The last letter I wrote 
you was on Saturday. I took Bessie down to Teachers' Institute 

Monday. Monday evening we were over to Mr. H 's a little 

while. On the road home we felt lonely for you. I came home alone 
Tuesday from Elkpoint with Pet and Nancy. B. 

Elkpoint is thirty miles from where these two sisters 
stayed. They had to travel by team, as the railroad did not 
go direct, so they borrowed a fast team, and not altogether 
safe. This young girl, just fourteen years old, going with 
them thirty miles, shows what children can do when neces- 
sary, and trust in the Lord for protection. 

She wrote for silk envelopes, so she could write to Bessie 
Sherman in India. 

Dear Mother : I guess A is coming up to see me to-day. 

There is hardly a day but what we see each other. 

I guess Bessie, Mrs. G and her brother, A and I, will go 

to camp-meeting. I will stop, and write in my journal, as it is almost 
ten o'clock, and I have to churn, bake, and do other things to-mor- 
row, so good-night, but not good-by. I am still saved. 

As ever yours, Bertha. 

Dearest Brother : I wish you could have been at the camp- 
meeting with us. It would have done you good. We got to the 

camp-ground about six or seven o'clock. A and I did not go to 

church the first night, as she did not feel well. 

Brother Ashcraft, from Illinois, was present. I understood he 
used to be a prize-fighter. He is a splendid preacher, the best God 
has ever permitted me to hear. One day when he was under con- 



1 6 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

viction, he told his father he wanted to get saved, and started to 
meeting that afternoon. On the way he thought about a man he 
had nearly killed because he had insulted his father in his presence. 
He went to see them on his way to church, and prayed with them, 
and that man's wife got converted. Ashcraft was sanctified three 
days after he was saved, and in seven days he was in the pulpit. 
Camp-meeting was out on the fourth. I feel so good to-night ; and 
as though I could run through a troop and leap over a wall. I 
feel quite often as though I could do anything for Jesus. O Lord, 
help me. By God's grace I will endeavor to do all His will. What 
if we do have a few trials here, heaven will be all the sweeter. I 
do believe I love Jesus more than anything else. I ought to. I must 
stop now, and read my Bible. I am saved, sanctified, and on my 
way to glory. Amen. Bertha. 

She studied her Bible, and found there for herself the 
principles by which she formed her life. I have had to copy 
some of these letters from her journal. 

Dear Ma and Charles : We got a letter from you to-day, and 
were so glad to get it. I hope there will come a. time some day, if 
the Lord wills, when we will be together once more. 

I am to speak a piece at the missionary meeting to-morrow 
night. 

I heard of the storm in Minnesota. The Lord has spared us so 
far. I hope He .will keep you safe from storms. I can say the 
Lord saves, sanctifies, and satisfies me, and I am ready to meet Him 
Praise His name. I must stop, and read my Bible. I am glad that 
man didn't shoot you. Did you give him a tract? Lie needed one. 

Your most loving, affectionate, but far-away sister. 

She says in her journal : — 

We received a letter from Charles, saying that his eyes were 
giving out setting type, and that he would come home soon for p 
rest. I hope his eyes will get no worse. God help him. If it 
be God's will for Charles to come home, I will be awfully glad. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 1 7 

The grove meeting will commence Friday night, if the Lord is 
willing. I am saved, sanctified, a:-.d satisfied with the way. " Be 
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." O 
glory ! " The Lord is my Shepherd ; I shall not want." 

Dear Ma : Charles came home Thursday, safe and sound. We 

were very glad to see him. He is working for Mr. D . I have 

thought it would be very nice indeed to see you again soon. Charles 
spoke about me going down there. If I thought it was God's will, 
and He opened the way for me to go, I would be willing. 

I am going to send " Traffic in Girls " to Miss . She ran off 

with a man awhile ago. They telegraphed after her, and brought 
her home. I hope the book will do her good. Poor girls ! 

Much love to you from your affectionate daughter, Bertha. 

From her journal : — 

I believe it is God's will that I should get a thorough education, 
and use it for His glory. I would gladly do so if it be His will, and 
He opens the way. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
you a crown of life." O glory 1 I mean to by God's grace. 

Much love to you. Bertha. 

Dear Ma : I guess Alice will go to the seminary this fall. 
Charles's eyes seem to be much better. He seems to expect me to 
go with him when he returns to the Missionary Home in St. Louis. 
The Lord only knows what will become of me. I am saved, sancti- 
fied, and real satisfied with the way. I believe I love Jesus more 
than anything else. I want to serve Him all the time. . . . 

The darkest hour is just before the dawn. When you are in the 
dark, look not at the night, but for the dawn. Bertha. 

Dear Ma : I am going to tell you some of my thoughts. I believe 
it is God's will that I should get* a thorough education, and use it 
for His glory. I will gladly do so if it. be His will. I don't see 
where I would get that kind of an education, but if it is God's 
will, I know He will open the way. Praise His holy name. T would 
like to see you, and have one of our old-time talks. 



l8 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

I have started a book of my own, and have written four chap- 
ters. It is to be a temperance book. 

What kind of a school have they down there in St. Louis? Is 
it anything like a high school? If it is, I would like well enough 
to go down there, if it be God's will, this winter. I would like 
very much if you would tell me what you think of all I have said. I 
would like to see you very much, but I want God's will, and His 
alone, to be done. Glory to His name ! " Be thou faithful unto 
death, and I will give thee a crown of life." O glory ! I am all 
God's. I want more of Him. You always used to talk about your 
life being wasted, but I am sure it was not. I don't know what I 
would have done, if it were not for a Christian mother, and I 
know she was a Christian. I never expect you to come back here. 
I would like to see you awfully well, but I don't want you to again 
go through what you have. When I think about other girls, I can 
not but praise the Lord that I was brought up right. God's mercy 
has been so great. I am sure you are not against a good educa- 
tion. Take time some day, and sit down and write me a long letter. 
I would be glad to get it. I don't know whether I am called to be 
a missionary or not. Have you any idea where I could get a good 
education ? Well, good-night, dear mother ; leave yourself in Jesus' 
hand, as I used to tell you. I am ready to live or die, praise the 
Lord. Charles says he expects to come down there pretty soon, 
and bring all he can with him. I will send you a little poetry. It 
isn't very good. 

To My Dear Mother. 

'Tis a dismal autumn's evening, 

And the clouds are gray as lead, 
While the wind is softly blowing, 

And the skies are dark o'erhead. 

[I will take my pen and paper, 

And to you a few lines write, 
Of the future, of the present. 

Of the day and of the night.] 



UK THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN IQ 

I've been thinking of the winedrops 

That have fallen in the rue; 
O may God forever guide you, 
' Guard you through this world so blue. 

Through its darkness and its sunshine, 

Through its losses and its gains, 
Through, O through this stormy warfare, 

May He guide you to His home. 

There to praise His name forever, 

And adore His blessed face; 
May I catch one glimpse of sunshine, 

That shall bless that blessed race. 

And while trials and temptations 

May oppress your weary way ; 
Fight on, toil on, don't give over, 

Don't give up, but win the day. 

For there's victory awaiting 

All who run this race safe home ; 

And bright stars that's everlasting 
Shall adorn your blissful crown. 

Bertha. 

" O God, our help in ages past, 
Our hope for years to come, 
Our shelter from the stormy blast, 
And our eternal home ! " 

Dear Ma : Thank you for your letter. A is going to the 

Seminary. Charles is going back to St. Louis next month. I guess 
I will go too. You will have the pleasure of meeting two at the 
depot instead of one. I would like to see you awfully well. I think 
I will take a peep at you in about a month if I can. I don't know 
as I can get away, but I believe I ought to go down there. T have 



20 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

prayed about it, and I feel impressed that I ought to go. I am sure 
I don't know what for, as I don't think I am called to be a foreign 
missionary. I have not given up my writing. I have felt lots of 
times I would sometime write something that would do the world 
good. I don't believe my life will be thrown away. I mean to do 
something for fallen humanity. I believe this is God's will concern- 
ing me. I have prayed about these things. I do not care in the 
least for worldly fame or honor, but I want to do something. The 
Lord has told me lots of things as plain as you could tell; that He 
would not promise me the honor of the world, or a great fame, but 
that I should do the world some good; and that last, but not least, 
I should have a glorious end, and be with Him forever. He has 
told me that several times. I thank you for getting the Bible. I 
hope you do not think I am shirking what I ought to do, and trying 
to do something else. Charles wants me to go down with him. I 
would like to go and stay while school lasted, and then come back 
and stay with Bessie next summer until school starts again. If the 
Lord wants me to come, He will open the way. Praise God, I would 
sooner part with everything than Jesus. O glory ! I know God is 
my father and Jesus is my elder brother. " Be thou faithful unto 
death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Bertha. 

Journal, Oct. 1899. — St. Louis life. Here I am in the grand 
city of St. Louis. O how I hated to leave Bessie and Alice. 

aIy Dear Affectionate Sister A : When I left Beresford, 

I felt miserable until I got to Hawarden. I thought if I only could 
have you and Bessie with me about ten minutes, I would give almost 
anything. You have been just like a sister to me. We got off the 
train at Hawarden to sign some permit papers, and we changed cars 
at Alton, and went straight from there to Council Bluffs, where we 
changed again for Omaha. Charles was quite nervous at first. All 
I had to do was to keep up with him. I love traveling. Perhaps 
you can imagine the conductor coming into our car and saying, 
" Change cars for Omaha." We rush out, me following Charles, 
and doing my best to keep up with him. We walk along until we 
come to a policeman. Charles rushes up to him, saying, " Which car 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 21 

for Omaha ? " He says, " Straight ahead." We go into a kind of a 
building where the cars are, and get helped by a negro, who is the 
porter, into a dusty-looking car. Well, we started, and soon came 
to the ]\fissouri River, and crossed it. The train stopped when we 
were half way over it, I don't know why, but we got across it all 
right. It was just beautiful. We could see the fair grounds from 
there, and it was all lighted up, and you could see a long way from 
Omaha. We got there about 11:30 p. m. We entered the finest 
depot I ever saw. I had not seen St. Louis then. It was not our 
depot, so we couldn't stay there. We struck out to find a hotel. We 
went up-stairs and between some beautiful pillars, and looked out 
over the city. A darkey from the depot came up, and said he would 
take us to the hotel. It was only a little way, so he took some of 
the things I was carrying, and took us where we stayed all night. 
W r e got a double room, and had our door locked. There were doors 
we could shut so it would make two rooms, so we got along all 
right. We got up next morning, had our breakfast, went to the 
depot, and waited until 3 : 00 p. m. After we got on the train, we 
did not have to change any more. We were in a chair car. We 
could let the seats back so it would be almost like a bed. They are 
just fine. We traveled all night. I was asleep when we went 
through Kansas City and Jefferson City. We arrived at St. Louis 
in the morning. Ma was at the depot. I unpacked my trunk in the 
forenoon, and in the afternoon we went down-town to buy a wed- 
ding present for Bessie. We went into a store where they elevate 
people up to different stories where they have different departments. 
In the elevator you go right through the air. You feel like your 
head would come off when they stop. Yesterday we went down to 
the depot. Oh, it is just lovely. I heard it covered one block. 
You can see all over the city from the tower. They say it is the 
finest in the world. The people here are very friendly. I am still 
saved, just the same girl I used to be. I got Anna Sherman and 
Ethel Ward's pictures. I must close. 

Your true affectionate 'sister, Bertha. 

P. S. — People may think it funny that I call you sister. I do it 
because we have been iust like sisters. 



22 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Dear B and J : Well, how are you? Yesterday I set 

some type. I did it quite well, to my own notion. Prayer-bell has 
now rung, and I must go. I have just been up setting type. You 
can hear the trains here all the time. We had a street-meeting 
last night. We went out again to-night to have one. I am saved 
and sanctified. Wishing. you all the blessing God has, I remain, 
Your affectionate sister, Bertha. 

Dear Sister A : I have been setting type. Sisters M and 

L expect to go to India this fall. This is an awful busy place. 

" When the golden sun is setting, 
And your mind from study's free, 
In your wandering thoughts, dear Alice, 
Will you deign to think of me ? " 

I have set type since eight o'clock. It is almost twelve now. I 
just love Sunny side, because it was there we got acquainted and 
played together, and learned to love and trust each other. I do not 
believe I could love a sister better than I do you. Words can not 
express the happiness I have had in your company. It makes me 
homesick as I look back over those days, but I expect to see you 
next summer. I think I will go to a mission to-night. 

Well, Alice, it is now Monday morning. Charles, ma, and I and . 
several of the girls here went to the Mission Saturday night. We* 
had such a nice walk. The streets were all light, and cable street- 
cars running almost everywhere. Oh, it was such a pretty sight to 
see the city at night. How I wish you could have been along. It 
was quite a distance from here, so we had a fine walk. You have 
to be careful in a large city, or you will be run over with cars. 
Yesterday we had a missionary meeting at the Mission. While com- 
ing home we saw a fine carriage, and a coachman all in uniform 
like a policeman, and inside the carriage was a bridal party. Just 
a little after came a hearse in charge of a man in uniform. I 
thought what a different picture. The city of St. Louis is beautiful 
in some places. 'I am still saved. a 

Your true and affectionate sister, Bertha. { 



OR THE LIFE OF RERTHA RASMtJSSEN 25 

Dear B and J : It is snowing now, the first we have had. 

It does look so pretty. Ma and I went to the Mission Monday 
night, and as ma was tired, we took a street-car. It was the first 
time I was ever in one. 

Yesterday instead of having grammar and physiology we went 
down town to a store, where they have a skeleton, to examine it. 
Oh, we had such a fine time. Charles and I and some other boys 
and girls went through the depot and out into the city. The skeleton 
was on Olive and Twelfth Streets. We passed the City Hall. The 
Hall and .lawn covers a block. All the way along things were so 
pretty. At last we got there, and looked at it awhile, and started 
home. On our way we went to see the Four Courts, where they 
try and condemn prisoners. We saw through a door where the 
prison cells were, where they march in, where they stood, and where 
the judge stood. We also went to the morgue, where they put dead 
people whom they don't know. They have them there a long time. 
If people commit suicide or get murdered, that is where they put 
them until some one comes and claims them. There was only one 
man there. He was not a bad-looking man, and looked as if he had 
been drowned. He was covered with blankets and his clothes lay 
beside him. I looked at him quite a while, and it made me think of 

. It made such an impression on me, I almost wish I had not 

gone in. Your sister, 

Bertha. 

Journal. — I am saved and sanctified. Well, Sister M and 

L are on their way to New York. They will sail from there 

Nov. 15. Last Sunday several others and myself went to hold a 

street meeting. Sister took us to a street where there were 

saloons and houses of ill-fame all around. We first knelt, and 
asked God to bless and save them. When meeting was over, we. 
passed around tracts to the girls in their windows. We passed 
tracts on the way home. We had such a good time. 

I guess Charles and I will go to the river to-morrow. I have 
been setting type four hours, excepting ten minutes. I am just wait- 
ing for ma and Charles to go to the Mission with me. The Home 
got some letters a short time ago telling of a fearful landslide in 



26 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

India, and about Brother and Sister and six children being 

killed. O how they must have felt! but they have just gone before. 
I believe my work is in the United States for a while yet anyway. 
The Lord pardons all my sins, and His blood cleanses my heart, 
and I am on the road to glory. To-day has been a busy one, but I 
am not very tired. " Though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod 
and thy staff they comfort me." 'Hallelujah to Jesus. 

Nov. 13, 1899. — Glory to the Almighty God this morning, who 
saves, sanctifies, and satisfies. Yesterday morning we had a good 
sermon. In the afternoon we girls and two brothers went to the 
Mission, and had a good holiness meeting. On our way home we 
stopped and had a street meeting. Last night ma, myself, and 
another girl were at the Mission. Had quite a good sermon. A 
funeral procession passed here a while ago. I counted forty-seven 
carriages besides the hearse and a few common buggies. Some soul 
had been called to stand before God to give an account of his works, 
whether good or evil. 

Nov. 15. — I am saved, and on my way to heaven. I put all 
my trust in Jesus. We were all at the Mission last night. Praise 
God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Dear Bertha, under all circumstances, was working and 
praying for the salvation of souls. She says of some, " My 
heart cries to God, Oh, save them before it is too late. You 
know whether you can or not. Oh, if they were only ready 
to meet Thee. Oh may God save them in the end, if He 
can." 

Nov. 19, 1899. — Well, we were at the river yesterday afternoon. 
We took the street-cars. When we came to the bridge, we saw the 
river and some nice boats on it. It was not a very bright day, but 
we had a very good time, and I got the long-wished pleasure of see- 
ing the longest river in the world. Ma went on across the bridge 
to East St. Louis, 111., where she will stay a couple of days with 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 27 

some friends. Charles and I walked home, so we could see more. 
On our way Charles related a story of a young man who stood on 
top of the cars while it went under the bridge, and was hurled 
down under the car wheels. His head was severed from his body, 
his hands cut off, and he was a corpse. Oh, how quickly God can 
sweep us out of existence. It is of great importance that we do all 
in our power for lost souls. Oh, God help us to do our duty, so 
that when we stand before the Judge of quick and dead, we may be 
able to say their blood is not upon us. 

A girl here in the Home was gloriously sanctified last night. She 
was in our room. We had such a wonderful time. She fell, and 
lay for three hours, but came to, praising God. We do have good 
times here. I got so blest last night. 

Dear Alice: We may have dark days in our lives, but let our 
lives be firm and true to all our aims and duties. I do not know 
what our future will be, or anything about it. God is His own 
designer, and He will make it plain. I hope that as we part, it will 
not be forever. If we do not meet on earth, O may we meet in 
heaven. - Your own true friend, Bertha. 

Dear A : J got your welcome letter this morning. A thief 

stole Charles's coat and mackintosh. For awhile I had quite a fever. 
Ma and I prayed, and I rested well the rest of the night. I got up 
about ten o'clock this morning. I went to the store for some things, 
and had a nice walk. One day another girl and I were down on 
Hickory Street to see a sick woman. Last Sunday about ten of the 

workers had a street meeting on Choteau Avenue. Sister S 

and I have just been down to see that woman on Hickory Street. 
When we were on the bridge coming back, we saw the colored chil- 
dren coming from school. Such a host of them ! One girl fell down 
on the track, and the street-car was coming full blast. She scam- 
pered off just in time. The car stopped, and they picked her things 
up, but she had a narrow escape. 

I have not worked in the office to-day, or done anything. I am 

going to the poor-house with Sister W to sing. Sister L 

and I went to the City Hospital. We took two Bibles each, and 



28 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

went to the Woman's Ward. I went and talked to one. She said 
she was an orphan, and had earned her own living ever since she 
was ten years old. She was now twenty-one. Her only brother 
was killed on the railroad three years ago, so she is left without 
friends or home. She had lived in Chicago, and had just come to 
St. Louis. She was robbed by a man a few days ago on her way 
home from her work. After taking her wages, he had kicked her 
so she fainted and was found unconscious. I heard a bell toll. She 
said, " It makes me shiver every time I hear that bell."' " Why," I 
asked. She said, ' c They are carrying an inmate to the dead-house 
when they ring that bell." It tolled twice while I was talking with 
her, and that was not over thirty minutes. She said about twenty 
died each day. O, how awful ! in one hospital alone ! and no one 
knows how many are not prepared. She told me that every one 
in the ward had friends come to see them but her, and that it nearly 
broke her heart. Poor girl, I told her that God loved her, and that 
she was my sister. She cried. I spoke a few words of sympathy 
and love, gave her a Bible, and a Vanguard, then shook hands, and 
kissed her good-by. I don't expect to meet her on earth again, but 
hope to in heaven. She pressed my hand, and begged me to come 
again. I warned her of deceivers in trying to find work. She 
expects to leave the hospital in a few days without a cent, no place 
to go, no friends and no home. How many are even worse than 
this one ! I talked to some others. We then went down where they 
hold meeting, but it had just broke up, so we stood at the door and 
gave out tracts. We then started for home; went into three saloons, 
and handed out tracts. I do love to do something for some one else. 
It is a very nice day, and everything looks so bright, even the future 
itself. 

I just got that Christmas card from you, dearest A . I will 

now tell you what Sister L and I did yesterday. She had some 

Bibles to take to the poor-house, and wanted me to go with her ; 
so after dinner we started. We took the car, and after a little 
passed Shaw's Garden. It is like a park, and we saw some pretty 
things. The conductor came and showed us the hospital, crematory, 
and insane' asylum. We soon stopped at the poor-house, and a 
girl took us through, and we gave out our Bibles and tracts. After 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN ig 

doing all we thought we could in the poor-house, we walked up to 
the hospital, and looking down the crematory we saw they were 
:remating a body, and desiring to see, we entered the place where 
the minister was preaching. There were carriages and coachmen 
.vaiting outside. The preacher was preaching, a boy was at the 
organ, and there was what looked like a very large casket with some 
/ery pretty flowers on it. All this time we were wondering where 
they were burning the man. He had been in the casket, but we 
iearned that he was cremated right under where the man stood 
vvhile preaching. We went down-stairs and saw that the ashes were 
put in jars, and there were friends down there weeping over one 
jar, so we supposed the ashes of this one were in that one. These 
jars were kept locked in vaults about a foot square in the walls. 
Cremating seems awful to me now since I saw the building. We 
went to the insane asylum, but could not get in that day, so we 
started for home. We went into one saloon on our way. Well, dear, 
1 wish you God's richest blessing. Good-by. I am still saved. Glory 
to Jesus. Yours, Bertha. 

Journal. — To-day is Thanksgiving day, and I have a great deal 
to thank the Lord for. Hallelujah! 



Dec. 13. — It has been some time since I wrote in my journal, and 
a great many things have happened. I was sick the week of 
Thanksgiving, but God healed me and set me going. Praise His 
dear name. 

Several of us went to the Four Courts last Sunday to meeting. J 
saw one girl sitting at the door of her cell, and during the singing 
she cried. I pitied her so. She looked so young, I think not more 
than seventeen or eighteen years old. I looked at her almost 
more than at the preacher. They had guards stationed all around, 
and just as soon as the service was over we had to leave. Then 
some of us went to the mission, the rest to the river distributing 
tracts. I saw, for the first time in my life, a steamer come to shore 
and anchor. We got home about dark. 



30 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

One of the girls went away last night. Before she went, we 
were in her room, and prayed together. We had a good time. I 
can testify to the saving, cleansing power just now. I know the 
hlood of Jesus cleanses me from all sin. Jesus is a friend that 
sticketh closer than a brother. Praise God, Amen. I have a sure 
title to a mansion in the skies to-night, and God is my Father and 
Jesus is my elder brother. 

Dec. 15. — To-day has been a busy day, but God has been with 
us. Praise His name. It is quite cold now, which makes it dis- 
agreeable to write in a cold room. Praise God for a full and free 
salvation. The devil would try to afflict a person one way or an- 
other, but I believe God will keep me healed from everything if I 
keep my trust in Him. Praise Jesus I know He saves and cleanses 
me. Amen. Hallelujah to God. I am Thine, O Lord. Amen to 
our God, who has all power in heaven and earth. 

Dec 17. — Thank God for a nice sunny day. Sister A and I 

went to visit a sister yesterday, and on our way home we visited a 
poor wash-woman. She said she thought two or three of her oldest 
children could come to Sunday-school. I will go after them next 
Sunday, if all is well. She had been married twice, but her second 
husband was so bad to her and the children that she told him to go. 
She has five children. She has had to fight it out ever since. How 
many ruin their lives by marrying reckless men. We prayed with 
her, then left. God has helped me to do some good by going after 
Sunday-school children. I thank Him for the opportunity. I praise 
God for full salvation through the blood of Jesus. Halleluiah to 
God forever and ever, for His mercy endureth forever. 

The other day when we were at the hospital I saw and talked 
with a woman who had dropsy. I fear she was near death's door. 
We gave out tracts and Bibles. Talked to a couple of fallen girls, 
and went home with the prayer on my heart, " O God, bless and 
help all the homeless all over the world who know not of the 
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." When I look at others, I feel 
very grateful for all God has done for me. O glory to God forever 
and ever. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 3 1 

Dec. 26. — Well, Christmas has come and gone, — the day we 
keep in memory of the blessed Jesus who died to save us from all 
sin. I am glad I can testify to the saving grace of God. 

Yesterday a band of ten workers, Charles and myself included 
got up at 3 : 30 a. m., and as is their custom, went around singing 
Christmas songs for some of their friends and others before they 
are out of bed. We started in silent procession, two by two, to Mr 
"s, a man who gave the money for two turkeys. 

I will tell a little incident of God's remembrance of us. A womar 
sent a dollar to be used for our Christmas dinner, but as we had 
the other two dollars that was not to be used for anything else, we 
took a vote, and decided it should go towards renting a hall for 
meetings. Well, that same afternoon three girls came, not know 
ing anything about the Home, with a whole lot of things, as they 

said, to go with Mr. 's turkeys. So you see we got more than 

our dollar back. To go on with my story, we moved quietly along 

until we came to Street, turned east, then went just a little way 

to his house. The night-watch saw us, and after following us a few 
feet, asked us if we were going to storm them. We told him we 
were just going to sing some for them, as it was Christmas morn 
ing. He laughed, and told us where to stand so they could best hear 
us. He said, " It would be a joke if they would not hear us," and 
passed on. We started " Joy to the world, the Lord has come," and 
in a little while we saw a light in their room, and they opened the 
window, and said, " Merry Christmas." We sang two more songs 
repeated the one hundredth Psalm, and then left. When we came 

to S Avenue, we sang "Joy to the World" again. Then went 

home, and dropped Sister out of the band. The rest of us wen* 

on, arid sang at two more places before returning. We had walked 
a good deal, but had a nice time. 

Dec. 31. — This hour finds us on the verge of a new year; nor 
only a new year, but a new century. As we look back over the past 
years, we are made to say in amazement and thankfulness, " What 
hath God wrought." 

We will but take a look into the past century. The first wonder- 
ful event we will mention took place between i860- 1865. Around 



32 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

i86c it seemed as if the grand God-favored nation, United States, 
would be rent and go into the ground. They were on the verge of 
a terrible Civil War. The Southerners were set on having slaves 
and carrying the nation their own way. When Lincoln and his 
faithful followers objected, they seceded from the Union. Then 
followed that bloody war which called for many a mother's boy to 
give his life for his country. On the bloody fields of Bull Run many 
a son, husband, and father lay gasping for breath, but I will not 
dwell on this awful scene longer. Suffice it to say that God, whose 
hand of mercy and forbearance has been over our nation, delivered 
the slaves, re-united the States, and set us on the road to prosperity. 
O, how much our people ought to praise God, and how zealous they 
should live before Him; but so few do it. It seems to me that God 
has favored us more than any other nation. Why all this patience? 
and why are we not like the heathen? It is because twenty centuries 
ago, in the city of David, a Saviour was born. He died to save us 
from our sins. 

Coming further down the table of time, we come to our war with 
Spain. She was persecuting the Cubans, who were earnestly con- 
tending and fighting for their liberty. The United States, seeing the 
awful suffering, fought for and freed Cuba. I don't know whether 
they fought for their own glory or not, but Jesus commands us to 
help our brother, if he is in need, and to bear one another's burdens. 

I mean, by God's grace assisting me, to start on this new year 
and century all for Him. I feel I have a work to do for Jesus. I 
have told Him I would go through fire and blood for Him, and I 
mean to be true. Looking back over the past year, I can see where 
God has wonderfully changed things, and where other events have 
taken place. Last year about this time ma was so sick and weighed 
down she could hardly live; now she is well and strong and where 
she can work for God, and out of the jaws of Satan, who thought 
he had her sure. Charles has also been healed by God of an almost 
incurable affliction. God has, in His infinite wisdom, placed me 
where I can get Bible knowledge. 

My sister is here visiting me, and we went out to Shaw's garden 
to-day. As we walked along I could not but remark how nice the 
residences were, and how fresh and pure the air. The scenery was 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 33 

surely beautiful. What a beautiful world we live in, if only the 
great curse of sin was swept away. After we entered the garden, 
we passed from house to house looking at the beautiful plants. At 
last we climbed up a winding stair to a small tower, and there we 
scratched our names on the brick with a hairpin, the only service- 
able thing we had with us. We spent a very pleasant afternoon. 

Praise Jesus. I belong to Him. Although this world is stained 
with sin, bless God I expect to see one that is not. God has prom- 
ised it, if I will but be true; and I expect to, God's grace helping me. 

Jan. 7. — To-day is a dark day, but I am glad I have sunshine in 
my soul. 

Before the light I am sitting, 
Ere long I'll be at rest, — 
Rest in my cot by the window. 
To rest ! Ah, rest indeed ! It is 
At God's own throne to bow. 
Rest for the weak and weary, 
Often rest the soul as well. 
Shall we be true to 'r calling? 
Or false to God to prove? 
Shall we, though pressed and weary, 
To the tempter's offers bow? 
Ah, no; we can't afford that; 
Let's up, and work for God. 
For God has surely promised 
A great reward to all 
Who, though tempted and afflicted, 
Endureth to the end. 

" Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, 
and shall siy all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven." 

Jan. 1900. — Bessie, Charles, and I just returned from the Four 
Courts, where Mother Wheaton talked to the prisoners. Her talk 
got hold of them. She sang part of the time. Every once in a 



34 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

while during her talk some of them broke down and cried. How 
much we have to praise God for. It is only through His love and 
mercy that we are out of prison. 

Jan. 9. — Last night we had a wonderful meeting at the Mission. 
Mother Wheaton preached. • The Lord did help her so. It was glo- 



I will go back to some of her letters. The following is a 
letter to her dear friend Alice : — 

Dear Alice : Remember we used to go to church together all 
the time. Dear Alice, give your heart to God, and let Him lead and 
direct you, and I believe your life will be a great success. 

All my powers and intellect, 

Lord, I consecrate to Thee; 
I am all for use or service, 

Certain, Lord, I belong to Thee. 
Evermore my life shall be, 

Ever, only, all for Thee. 

(There is a puzzle in that verse.) 

" Oh learn to scorn the praise of men, 
And learn to lose with God; 
For Jesus won the world through shame, 
And beckoned thee His road." 

Prepare to meet thy God. " My grace is sufficient for thee.'*' 

Bertha. 

Dear Brother: In answer to the question as to what I thought 
I had to do, I can not tell you, for I do not know myself. I feel as 
if God had some place for me, and was fitting me for it, but I have 
no conception as yet as to what my work will be. I hardly think it- 
will be a foreign missionary, but only God knows. I am willing 
to be anything, and God will tell me in His own good time. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 35 

I am so glad that you are pressing after holiness. I shall con- 
tinue to pray for you. Hold on until you get it. Do not give up 
your grip. Study your Bible and pray much. I was glad to he::r 

that got saved. I have a through ticket to the pearly gate, and 

a title clear to a mansion. Hallelujah. Bertha. 

Dear Brother and Sister : I guess Mother Wheaton and I will 
visit saloons this afternoon. I have salvation. Hallelujah to God, 
who never lost a battle, and who has promised to. fight ours. Amen. 

If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to 
die for us (John 3: 16), we ought to love our own souls and God 
and His cause enough to have His blood applied to our hearts, 
had we not? I am praying continually for you, and I believe that 
God, according to His abundant and precious promises, is going to 
answer prayer. We can not afford to live beneath the privilege of 
the gospel. You will never realize until afterward how much time 
you have wasted when you might have been growing in grace. 

I do thank God that He ever brought us here. I see His loving 
hand in it all. I have received so much good by coming here, but I 
believe the same loving hand is going to draw us somewhere else. 
Who would not love such a Father? If we follow God we may be 
sure we will never make a failure. 

When I am setting type, my mind often wanders back to the 
scenes of my childhood. I am in the pressroom writing while the 
others are eating breakfast. I tell you I thank God with all my 
heart that He has given me a Christian mother, one who has daily 
communion with God. I take her convictions for a good deal. 

We do want to go to school where we can get the most and 
accomplish the most for God. Praise God for a full and free sal- 
vation that saves even me. 

The office bell is ringing, and I must go. I hope soon to hear that 
you are cleansed from inbred sin. " Finally, brethren, farewell. Be 
perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace ; and the 
God of love and peace shall be with you." 2 Cor. 13: 11. 

Your sister, Bertha. 



36 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Dear Sister and Brother: O, how God answers prayer. We are 
holding on to God for you both. Rush in, and get all there is for 
you. We will send you some references on sanctilication. 

When Charles went to send the trunk, on the road coming back, 
in all the mud, and wheeling the cart, he thought he had gotten on 
First Street, that I have told you about, and he got so scared. He 
prayed like everything. I don't know what he would do sometimes 
if he could not pray. He gets such scares sometimes. But Jesus is 
ever with us, and He is a friend in need. 

Sister S came home to-night. I have not seen her yet, but 

before she came to the house I heard her say " Amen." I like to 
hear her say Amen, as she puts so much life and spirit in it. I have 
a through ticket to Heaven, Hallelujah ! Good enough for any one. 

My childhood's days often come to mind, and I think how God's 
hand was over us and guarded us from danger when we were alone. 
I have not forgotten those loved ones I used to spend such pleasant 
hours with, and with whom I went through hours of danger, trials, 
and grief. Those faces I learned to love so dearly will not fade 
from my mind very soon. God bless you, dear ones ; and whether I 
be present or absent, remember the Lord. He is near, and oh, how 
He loves you. He came into this cruel world, bled and died upon 
the cross, and tasted death for every man, that we might have 
eternal life ; and He is interceding at the right hand of God for us. 
O what love, what kindness, all for such weak worms as we are; 
and will we continue to drive the nails harder and harder into those 
blessed hands, and the spear into the heart of our blessed Redeemer, 
by refusing His offered mercy? Should we not love Him and <lo 
His commandments? Jesus can get along without our service, but 
we can not get along without Him. Think what it would mean to 
us if we were deprived of the Bible, or of the privilege of prayer 
one day. Jesus says', " If ye love me, ye will keep my command- 
ments." One of those commands is, " Follow peace with al! men, 
and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." " Be ye 
therefore perfect, even v.s your Father which is in heaven is perfect." 
Hallelujah ! I expect to see you out where -you will be winning 
bright stars for your crown. Thank God for His goodness, and 
press on for more. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 37 

God is wisdom, God is our might, 

God ever near us, guiding us right. 
He understands, knows all we need; 

Trusting in Him, we'll surely succeed. 

I am His, to give my life for the lost of earth, and to win a home 
in a land where parting is never known. This is a vale of tears, but 
the darkest hours are just before the dawn. Hallelujah to God, 
who never lost a battle. Bertha. 

Dear Sister and Brother: We are very busy on the paper. To- 
day is Washington's birthday. Thank God he ever was born. Where 
would we be if he had not been born. Perhaps God would have 
stirred up some other man. 

We all feel that it is the Lord's will for us to leave, and go 
where Charles and I can get an education in a Christian school. I 
expect it will be College Mound. You know that this is a mission- 
ary home, and that work keeps us so busy that we have but little 
time to study. The Lord has said in Ex. 14 : 14, " The Lord shall' 
fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." We are taking that 
for our verse day by day as we watch, wait, and pray. 

To-night reminds us of the night we bade farewell to Bessie and 
Mother Wheaton at the depot. 

" The hills are dearest which our childish feet 

Have climbed the earliest, and the streams most sweet 
Are ever those at which our young lips drank — 
Stooped to their waters o'er the grassy bank. 

" When Freedom from her mountain height 
Unfurled her standard to the air, 
She tore the azure robe of night, 
And set the stars of glory there. 

" She mingled with the gorgeous dyes 
The milky baldric of the skies, 
And striped its pure celestial white 
With streakings of the morning light." 



38 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

How thankful I am to God for good health. How thankful you 
ought to be. It makes me more and more thankful when I see 
little Pearl on the border of her grave. We all had somewhat of a 
scare this morning, as it was announced that she was dying. They 
hurried for her sister. We dropped to our knees in the office, those 
in the kitchen did the same, and others were praying with her. 
After prayers we went over, part at a time, to take the last look, as 
we supposed, of the precious one which had so shortly budded, and 
to all appearances would blossom in heaven. As I looked on her 
fair face with its deathlike blue lips, staring eyes, wasted form, 
and quick breathing, I thought, in a few moments she will have 
joined the realms of holy angels above, who never cease to sing the 
praises of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world for us. 
We have continued to pray for Pearl, and if she is not healed, it 
will be because God, in His infinite wisdom and love, saw fit to 
take her out of this cold world to realms of peace above, where there 
is no pain nor sickness. It is a comfort to know she is well cared 
for. It is important that we should be ready to meet God. 

Now, my precious ones, with all the light and privilege you have, 
meet the requirements of God, and be ready to meet Him. He has 
said He will come as a thief in the night. I would not rest a mo- 
ment without my sky clear. Oh loved ones, throw yourselves out 
on God. He will take care of you. You can expect persecution, but 
what will that amount to in the judgment, if, with Paul, we can say 
when we come down to the river of death. " I have fought a good 
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth 
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the 
righteous judge, shall give me at that day." Jesus says, "Blessed 
are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say 
all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be 
exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven." It says in 
Rev. 2 : 10, " Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer : 
behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be 
tried ; and ye shall have tribulation ten days : be thou faithful unto 
death, and I will give thee a crown of life." "If we suffer, we 
shall also reign with him." " My grace is sufficient for thee." Well, 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 39 

I am going through by God's help. I am earnestly praying that 
God will have His way in your life. 

Your sister, belonging to God, 

Bertha. 



In a letter to her sister she tells about a policeman having 
called on Sister Sherman, Superintendent of the Missionary 
Home ; how among other things he told her that there 
were seventy thousand recognized fallen women, and about 
ten thousand (I believe it was) who lived in mansions 
and dressed in silks. And when they had lived that life a 
certain length of time, about nine tenths of them would 
commit suicide, and this policeman and another had to carry 
them out and bury them at night. 

He said it was like hell to go into such places. Women 
who have worked rescuing these girls have told me that 
they only live five years after commencing that life. You 
say, perhaps, " Why are those girls there ? " Well, so far as 
I have learned, it is the cursed intemperance, the liquor 
traffic. If we had no saloons, we would have no brothels. 

They have w T hat is called procurers. These procurers 
pass themselves off as traveling men. They stop at the 
finest hotels, and when they see nice young girls, after be- 
coming acquainted, they will propose marriage. Often they 
will even have a mock ceremony. Many times they will not 
have anything, but just go away together. The poor ig- 
norant girl will be delighted because she is not going to 
work out by the week any more, but is going to live in a 
palace and have a good time ; but lo, and behold ! at the 
end of the journey she is taken to such a hell upon earth, 
and that is the last of that happy prospect. An incident like 



4-0 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

this came under the observation of friends in a town not 
far from here, but a dispatch was sent after them imme- 
diately, and the girl brought back to her parents. 

Also girls will come to a city looking for work, and go 
to a restaurant for something to eat. The procurers are 
around watching for their prey. If the girl will not go with 
them, the\- will give the waiter a sign, and he will put 
something in her lunch to stupefy or intoxicate her so she 
can easily be taken wherever he wishes. 

I just read in a Christian paper about a young girl who 
was traveling, and was waiting in the depot for her train, 
when a highly dressed lady came in and began to talk to 
her about her train, and said that she herself wanted to go, 
but there was no five o'clock train going out that night, and 
that she could go home with her until the next day. Before 
this lady came in one of their men (a procurer) had been 
talking to the girl, but her brother had warned her before 
she left home against men in the cities. The girl said that 
just then a lady who wore a white ribbon came in, and told 
her not to go with this other woman, who had already gone 
to send for a carriage for her ; and they had the police for- 
bid the driver to take the girl. I have read of many such 
cases, but have no room for more here. 

I was in Omaha just a few months ago, where I became 
acquainted with a dear old lady who had worked at rescu- 
ing these dear girls from that awful life for many years. I, 
not knowing how things were, asked among other things, 
" Why don't these girls run away from there? " " Oh," she 
said, " they are kept in, and not allowed on the street until 
they are so far gone that they can be trusted not to run 
away." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 4 1 

I will relate an instance here about a young man who 
went to visit these places. He said he saw there a young 
girl who begged him to take her out, but he could not do it. 
She went up-stairs, took some poison, and killed herself. 
He told this to the one who told me, so I am sure of its 
truthfulness. 

STONE THE WOMAN. 

" Stone the woman — let the man go free ! 
Draw back your skirts lest they perchance 
May touch her garments as she passes; 
But to him put forth a willing hand 
To clasp with his that led her to destruction 
And disgrace. Shut up from her the sacred 
Ways of toil, that she no more may win an 
Honest meal ; but ope to him all honorable 
Paths, where he may win distinction. 
Give him fair pressed down measures of 
Life's sweetest joys. Pass her, O maiden, 
With a pure, proud face, if she puts out 
A poor, polluted palm ; but lay thy hand in 
His on bridal day, and swear to cling to him 
With wifely love and tender reverence; 
Trust him who led a sister woman 
To a fearful fate. 

Yes, stone the woman — let the man go free ! 
Let one soul suffer for the guilt of two, 
Is the doctrine of a hurried world, 
Too out of breath for holding balances 
Where nice distinctions and 11 n justices 
Are calmly weighed. But, ah, how will it be 
On that strange day of fire and flame, 
When man shall stand before the one true 



42 A YOUXG MISSIONARY 

Judge? Shall sex make then a difference in 
Sin? Shall He the Searcher of the hidden 
Heart, in His eternal and divine decree, 
Condemn the woman and forgive the man?" 

My Precious Brother axd Sister: I just came down from the 

office. I hear that Brother is going to preach at the Mission 

ten days. Yesterday D and I had a nice walk before Sunday- 
school giving out tracts. In the afternoon we took tracts and went 
on another long walk. We visited some places, too. We had a 
very good time. We went until we were so tired we had to come 
home. Charles and the rest of the boys went out, too, but not 
with us. We saw them going under a bridge as we went over it. 
They sang a song for the Chinese, they said. 

I am glad I am saved, praise God. Let God have His way in 
your life. Your lives will be worse than failures if you do not. 
Why do you hold back so when the loving Saviour stands with 
outstretched arms waiting to supply every need, and perfect that 
which is lacking in your faith? When we come up to the judgment 
bar of God, we can not say, I did not have the light on it. God has, 
in His mercy, permitted us to be born in a land of Bibles, where 
we can get light. You know the light. If we were sure of a long 
life, which we are not, we would need every moment of it to improve 
our talents and be ready to meet Jesus. "Be ye also ready: for in 
such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." " Follow 
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see 
the Lord." 

We are in the last times, according to prophecies, and have no 
time to waste. The prophecies concerning the Jews returning to 
Jerusalem before the end of time is being fulfilled, and many are 
returning. 

" If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." The world hated 
Jesus without cause, and why should they not hate us? "Be not 
afraid, for I am with thee." With such promises we ought to ven- 
ture out. " Let God be true, but every man a liar." Also that 
heaven and earth shall pass, but not one jot or one title of the law 
shall fail. You know what it says about holiness. " Eye hath not 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 43 

seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the 
things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Search 
the Scriptures. They will tell you, by the aid of the Holy Ghost, all 
you need to know. 

I am determined to go all the way with Jesus. " But let him that 
glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that 
I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and 
righteousness, in the earth : for in these things I delight, saith the 
Lord." God is my Father, hallelujah to His almighty name. I am 
yours, bound for glory. I am expecting you to get out where you 
can work for souls more. I am praying, and God will do His part. 

Bertha. 

My Precious Sister : I am going to tell you something about 
your health. It is very injurious to wear corsets, and all the cloth- 
ing should hang from the shoulders. When we see and hear what 
others have had to learn by experience, and some of them very sad 
ones, why can not we take counsel, and not destroy the temple of 
the Holy Ghost, and avoid all the misery these things bring? Cloth- 
ing should never be so tight but that the lungs and chest can have 
full play, and so that the floating ribs can move freely while breath- 
ing. You should be able to take a real deep breath with ease, and 
feel free and not penned up. I like to see a woman look free and 
natural instead of being all cramped up in a cruel corset, and I 
think most every one with good taste does, too. I write this in love 
for you. 

Thank you very much for that dollar. We gave fifty cents of it 
to the starving children, and we had $1.50 or more handed to us a 
short time after. It pays to give to the Lord. It reads, " He that 
hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord." Bless God for free 
salvation. God bless you, and the very God of peace sanctify you 
wholly. 

Your ever true and faithful sister, striving to help poor souls, 

Bertha. 

Dear Alice : I belong to Jesus, soul and body, and I keep pray- 
ing for you. There was a man saved in our watch-night meetings 
At twelve o'clock all the whistles in St. Louis and East St. Louis 



44 . A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

blew, and it was an awful racket. Yesterday my sister and I went 
to see a poor woman living in a basement. She was very glad to 
see us, and we had an interesting time. 

I wish you were here so you could take a walk over the Choteau 
Bridge. Trains go under there. Do you remember how I used to 
wish I were down here to walk over it with Charles? Well, I have 
that wish now. 

A man from Alaska is to preach to-night. What a busy town 
this is. It is hustle and bustle wherever you go, and it is an awfully 
sinful place. Some places in this city seem to be very near hell's 
door, especially on First Street, where we distribute tracts. I 
never knew anything of the sin in the world when I was up there 
compared to this, and it would be hard for any one who was not 
used to a large city, or at least been in one, to have much concep- 
tion of the place. W r e live on Twenty-third Street, in a quiet and 
respectable part, as far as it goes. We never get molested here, 
only when a thief comes along, and they generally go away quietly. 
Of course there are saloons close by, but they are on almost every 
corner, and most of the groceries keep liquor. When we go to the 
Mission at night, we pass what they call fashionable saloons, and 
fine carriages waiting outside, and fast piano music inside, beside 
all the devilment it can hold. I would then think of some of the 
things I had read. I am glad I read " Traffic in Girls " before 
coming here. O, these are awful hell-holes, but I suppose all large 
cities are the same. I would not trust myself alone on the street 
after dark, and not very far in the daytime. I have not been what 
they call down-town more than twice, but there are things to be 
seen near at home. That terrible cyclone that swept away parts 
of St. Louis not far from the Missionary Home, did not hurt the 
Home. You can see some of the ruins yet, not built up. 

When people set type, their minds can wander over the world 
and back, and they can be setting right along. 

Now prepare to meet thy God. Jesus said, " Now is the accepted 
time ; behold, now is the day of salvation." He hasn't promised us 
any to-morrow. Give your heart to God. Last night we had a glo- 
rious time at the Mission. People fell, danced, and shouted all 
over the hall. The preacher jumped steady for quite a while. O, he 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 45 

was so happy. I got a touch of the fire, too. Hallelujah to God! 
it was glorious. It was one of the best, if not the best, meetings of 
my life. I just wish you could enjoy some of these meetings. Sun- 
day, surely — 

" 'Twas a heaven below 

My Redeemer to know, 
And the angels could do nothing more, 

Than to fall at His feet, 

And the story repeat, 
And the Lover of sinners adore." 

Your loving Bertha. 

Journal. — I had a letter this morning which brought glorious 
news. Alice is saved. O glory, how glad I feel ! God ever keep 
her, is my prayer. I hope she will go in for a clean heart. She had 
the light. 

I have a through ticket to the pearly gates, and a title clear to 
a mansion in the skies, and that is enough for any one. A person 
with that inheritance could be one of the richest men or women that 
ever lived without owning a cent. " Lo, I am with you alway." Is 
not that enough? God was surely with us Sunday according to His 
promise. 

How time flies ! I am getting so interested in the Bible, for 
which I am thankful. I expect the interest to increase. I belong to 
God to do His will. 

My Dearest Alice: I just received the grand tidings that you 
had got saved. O glory! How good it made me feel. Press on 
after holiness. I shall always remember to pray for you. A day 
has not passed since I heard the glad news of your conversion but 
what I have remembered you before the throne of grace, asking God 
to help you. I hope I shall soon hear of your getting sanctified. I 
still continue to pray for you ; and when you come to a hard place, 
remember you have a friend who will help you to hold on what little 
I can. I am still saved. Your own loving Bertha. 



4*6 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Dear Alice: You should see me Sunday mornings about 9:00 
as I go for my Sunday-school boy. He is such a bright little fel- 
low. He likes to go to Sunday-school. I bring him back again, too. 

Do you remember the last look we had at Sunnyside together? I 
suppose in a few years it will not be the same. Such is life. Things 
change all the time. Nothing in this world is substantial. We better 
lay up treasures in heaven, where nothing can destroy nor steal 
them. 

As I sit by the office window I can see men and women pass 
with pails and pitchers. I suppose they are after beer. 

Keep saved. I expect you will. I keep praying for you. I am 
saved, hallelujah. '"One man of you shall chase a thousand: for 
the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath prom- 
ised you.'' Joshua 23 : 10. '"And the very God of peace sanctify 
you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body 
be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it." " The grace of 
our Lord Jesus Christ be with yon. Amen." 

Your own loving Bertha. 

Journal, Feb 4. — Friday night we went to hear Brother 

preach. We had a glorious time. It is snowing, and it looks so 
pretty. I am saved, hallelujah to God! I will have to get ready to 
go after my Sunday-school boy. 

" Glory be to God on high ; 
Glory be to Jesus ; 
He hath brought salvation nigh : 
From all sin He frees us. 
Glory to God." 

Ma and I went down to the Mission, and enjoyed a splendid 
Bible reading. 

I hear that there is an awful fire sweeping Broadway to-night. I 
heard that five firemen had been killed already, and that all the 
fire engines in St. Louis and East St. Louis were working, but 
were unable to check it. The fire started in a very large clothing- 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 47 

house called "Famous** It just seems awful. Perhaps none of the 
firemen were prepared to meet God. O, how diligently we ought to 
serve God. I am so glad that John 3 : 16 is in the Bible. What a 
blessed verse it is. I am saved, sanctified, and ready for glory. 
Amen. O God bless all the bereaved ones to-night in this city and 
elsewhere. 

Feb. 7, 1900. — It just now lightened and thundered. Well, bless 
God, I have salvation. O glory. I belong to God. Amen. He 
will never leave me nor forsake me. 

Feb. 13. — Praise God for salvation from all sin. Sunday after- 
noon Sister and I went to the jail, visiting saloons as we went, 

but when we got there we found the jail was quarantined. As we 
could not get in, we decided to take a roundabout way home, visit- 
ing saloons. I really had no idea how many saloons there were in 
some places. We visited three at one crossing, but despite all the 
sin and wickedness we found what seemed to be diamonds in the 
rough. O if men could see the awful fruits of the votes they cast 
for liquor, they surely would repent, and take a different way. I 
believe that day's work will be brought to the judgment and that 
it will bear fruit, whether we see it in this life or not. How I plead 
with God for the precious souls we saw. In one saloon we found 
two young men playing pool. They said they came from homes in 
the East to attend the Medical College. They seemed on the verge 
of crying, and said they appreciated our interest in them, and that 
they would not have their mothers know how they were doing for 
anything, and begged us to pray for them. They seemed so polite 
and manly, if it were not for the curse of our beautiful land, whisky. 
O, will not this generation, and the coming ones, rise up and put 
down this terrible drink fiend that is damning souls, blasting and 
breaking up homes? By God's help and aid, I pledge myself to do 
all in my power to put it down. We visited twenty or more saloons. 
I love this work. We worked until our supply of tracts gave out. 
I know for a fact that I am saved. 

February 16. — Well, praise God, I know I have salvation, and 
He will carry me through. I belong to God, who never lost a 



48 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

battle (and He has promised to fight ours), and a God who owns 
all the money in the universe and the cattle on a thousand hills. He 
surely can take me through. My face is set like a flint Zionward, 
and I will go through. 

This morning ma, E , and I went down town a ways, and 

when we came back it was snowing. It looked so pretty to see the 
beautiful white snow falling in large flakes, but it soon stopped. O, 
so many poor outcasts and wretches ! and they were all once as 
clean from all outward transgressions as the snow was white. 

"And when the battle's over, . 
We shall wear a crown." 

February 23. — Thank God for such a beautiful day. I also thank 
Him for the visible answer to a petition I sent Him, and the invisible 
answer to another. Glory, I am saved. 

I now come to a part of her journal from which I will 
only give a few jottings, to show the deliverance God can 
give when we go through the deep waters : — 

February 26.—" The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold 
your peace," never seemed more precious to me than yesterday. I 
was sitting in the prayer-room, unconscious of the fact that danger 
was at hand unless God interfered, which He did. The news 
came to me, and seeing Sister , a blessed soul (who, I have rea- 
son to believe, i- shouting in the realms of endless hliss, where she 
will have no more pain nor sorrow), sitting by the stove, T whis- 
pered these words to her, " Pray for us." I looked in the prayer- 
room later, and saw that dear soul on her knees in accordance with 
my request. (It is blessed to have good evidence that she is safely 
housed in glory.) I then went to my room, which was connected 
with the prayer-room by rolling doors. I dropped on my knees, and 
prayed to my heavenly Father for protection, which He gave just as 
I needed it. 

Shadows have been cast, as far as worldly things are concerned, 
for us to walk in, but glory to God, there is a bright side to all 



OR THE' LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 49 

shadows. Thanks be to God, He turns all to sunshine. Not that 
we don't have to light with poverty and hard times, for we do; but 
1 would not be without this experience for anything. Court will 
soon set, and Christ will be the judge, and will give justice, and 
although we have a dark background to our history, yet I see victory 
ahead, and I am pushing on after it ; but all thanks be to God who 
always causes to triumph. I tell you notes of victory were sounded 
to an Almighty God who never goes back on His promises. O halle- 
lujah. God alone knows how thankful I am that the devil has been 
defeated. Oh glory ! I am not much to shout, but I felt so happy, 
I said "Hallelujah!" right out loud on the streets of St. Louis. It 
was like General Perry's message when he won such a victory on 
Lake Erie, " We have met the enemy, and they are ours." But we 
have won a more glorious victory than he did, for by God's grace 
we had headed off the devil's plans. I shall never forget that night. 
This is one of the wonderful things God has done for us. Thanks 
be to God for His unspeakable gift of His Son. I am saved, sancti- 
fied, and ready for heaven. I mean my life shall be a success. 

Dear Alice : Ma, Charles, and I went to one of the large churches 
in the city, and heard what the people call the " boy preacher " 
preach. The church had three sets of gas-lights besides those fast- 
ened to the sides. It made me think of pictures I had seen of 
grand churches. They also had a pipe-organ. St. Louis is only 
the fifth city of the United States, but it has more people in it than 
all the State of South Dakota. 

We have singing-school now. 

Be true to God whatever you do. I always remember to pray 
for you, and best of all, Jesus is interceding for us at the right 
hand of. God. I prize my Bible more than ever. I little knew how 
beautiful its truths were until I looked into them for myself. In 
speaking of Wisdom, Prov. 8 : 17 says, " I love them that love 
me ; and those that seek me early shall find me." Prov. 9 : 10 says, 
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the 
knowledge of the holy is understanding." So when we get saved, 
we are in a good place to start and get an education. I am saved, 
praise Jesus. Your own Bertha. 



50 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Iii a letter to another friend she wrote : — 

" I suppose you have heard ere this that two of your friends from 

have gone on before to glory. O, what a wonderful meeting it 

will be when we shall see all our loved ones, and more than all, 
Jesus, the Lamb from the foundation of the world. I have two 
brothers in glory awaiting me when I shall have finished my course. 
It pays to be true to Jesus. " Be thou faithful unto death, and I 
will give thee a crown of life." 

My Precious Alice: The sentiment of my heart is this: — 

" Jesus, Saviour, pilot me, 
Over life's tempestuous sea ; 
Unknown waves before me roll, 
Hiding rocks and treacherous shoal; 
Chart and compass came from thee ; 
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me. 

" As a mother stills her child, 
Thou canst hush the ocean wild; 
Boisterous waves obey thy will 
When thou say'st to them, ' Be still ! ' 
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea, 
Jesus, Saviour pilot me. 

" "When at last I near the shore, 

And the fearful breakers roar, 

'Twixt me and the peaceful rest, 

Then while leaning on thy breast, 

May I hear thee say to me. 
' Fear not, I will pilot thee ! ' " 

As the tidings concerning the bloody war raging between Eng- 
land and the Boers of South Africa come in thick and fast, telling 
of the terrible bloodshed, it makes me wonder when the nations will 
get where they will not go into such manslaughter over some land. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 51 

My precious, darling friend, I should love to see you. I am 
glad you are saved. Be true. When you get in a hard place, and 
it seems as if the waters of difficulty had splashed in your eyes, and 
there seems to be no way through, I am glad there is a way out, 
and you can look up and say, Father, you said " My grace is suffi- 
cient for thee," now I claim that promise. In everything have for 
your motto, "What would Jesus do?" God's promises are so pre- 
cious. O how I love His word! I am so thankful I am not a 
heathen. 

Another precious lamb has joined the innumerable ranks of 
angels. Little Pearl has gone to be, — 

" Safe in the arms of Jesus, 
Safe on His gentle breast." 

He thought best, in his infinite wisdom, to take her to Himseli 
Thank God she was saved. Blessed are the dead who die in the 
Lord. How important it is that we should be saved when we are 
well. When we are sick is not time to seek God. O, let us keep 
ourselves ready for the death angel. It is so good to think that 
Pearl's body is free from pain, and her soul safe in the arms of 
Jesus. 

Keep saved, and press ahead for more. 

I remain your precious sister, washed in the blood of Jesus, 

Bertha. 

Dear B and J : I hope you have not given up getting 

sanctified. I don't think you have. We keep praying for you. 
Best of all, Jesus is interceding. Glad you have started for heaven, 
never to turn back. It does me good to hear it. There is a great 
chase for us yet. Read Matt. 5 : 10-13. If we would only have more 
faith in God, we would not feel so afraid and forsaken, for there 
are enough promises in God's Word to take us through to heaven 
shouting. Look up the word " unbelief," and you will see clearer 
what a curse it is. Time spent in studying the Bible is never lost. I 
get so interested. I think if every one could read " Fifty Years in 
the Church of Rome," by Father Charles Chiniquy, it would make 
them feel grateful for the Bible and prayer. I am reading it now. 



52 A YOUXG MISSIONARY 

It is very interesting. You will never make a mistake in life by fol- 
lowing Jesus. 

"Anywhere! anywhere! fear I can not know, 
Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go. 
Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep, 
When the dark'ning shadows round about me creep ; 
Knowing I shall waken never more to roam, 
Anywhere with Jesus will be Home, Sweet Home." 

My parting exhortation will be found in Heb. 13:20-22; Phil. 
1 : 27. I am saved and sanctified, hallelujah. The Lord God om- 
nipotent reigneth. I feel real well in body as well as soul. 

Last night Charles, Ala, and I went to the Mission to hear 

preach. We had a good meeting. How I wish yon could have been 
there to have enjoyed it. I wish you could hear some of the good 
sermons I hear sometimes, but God is everywhere. 

Sister was at the Mission last night with two of the rescue 

girls. One of them acted real good, but the other did not. She 

reminded me of , if she isn't saved, and held in by the Almight} 

and her parents. When a person is in a big city like this they can 
not go around laughing and talking with everybody. If they do 
they are liable to land in a saloon, gambling den, or house of ill- 
fame, unless Providence spares them. Last night when Charles and 
I were coming home, we passed a ball-room. There was music and 
dancing there. I said I would not be in that room for all the world. 
We had a wonderful meeting at the Mission. The altar was filled 
when the invitation was given, and all over the hall the people were 
shouting, crying, and dancing. It was heaven below. O how I wish 
you could have been there. The half has never yet been told, so 
there is no use trying to tell it. I am on my way to glory. Glory 
to God, there is only one way, and that is by the royal way of the 
cross. It is good to know Jesus. 

" Then forward still, 'tis Jehovah's will, 
Tho' the billows dash and spray; 
With a conquering tread we will push ahead, 
He'll roll the sea away." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 53 

I feel just like going through with Jesus. The Lord did bless me so 
last night. Hallelujah. " Ye shall receive power after that the 
Holy Ghost is come upon you." " Be ye holy, for I am holy." 
Good-by, dear ones. Your own loving sister, 

Bertha. 

St. Louis, February, 1900. 
Dear Bessie: Ma and Charles came down here. I do not know 
where we will be next year. I feel as if we would not be here, for 
I don't think God wants us to stay much longer. 

A little while our conflicts will be over, 
A little while the griefs that know us now, 
Will turn to heaven's brightest day. 

I expect, if God is willing, to get another look at dear old Sunny- 
side, where we spent such pleasant days, as well as many sad ones. 

I am justified, sanctified, happified, and expect to be glorified. I 
am on the road to glory. Hallelujah. Don't give up until you get 
a clean heart. "Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall 
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that 
asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth ; and to him that 
knocketh it shall be opened ? " Matt. 7:7, 8. 

Your loving sister, Bertha. 

Dear Bessie : I have victory in my soul, and I have a message 
line that goes straight through to glory, and there is no fear of the 
message being lost. 

We have felt for some time that our time here would soon be 
out. I am sure I am resigned to God, and if He wanted me to stay 
I would do so without a murmur, but we have lately been led. in 
another direction. 

We were at the Mission last night. I need not tell you we had 
a glorious time. It was what you might call a " Hallelujah meet- 
ing." Brother was just jumping so nice, and ma was testify- 
ing, and she got so happy she started jumping too, and another 
good soul got so happy she went down the aisles shouting, and at 
last fell, but soon got up and at it again. I hope if we leave St. 



54 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Louis we will get to a place where they have some fire in them. I 
know God is everywhere., but it is good to be with some of His 
lire-baptized children. 

There was an awful lire on Broadway, the worst there has ever 
been in St. Louis, they say. They don't know how many lives were 
lost before they could check it. 

" Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no 
man shall see the Lord." If you come out and out for Jesus, you 
will have persecutions ; but Jesus promises us that. Read the 
Beatitudes in Matthew. It says in God's Word, " Come out from 
among them." Are we going to obey? I am your loving sister, who 
daily intercedes in your behalf at the throne of God. O, get in 
earnest ; you will never get holiness any other way. Bertha. 

Dear Bessie: To-day it started to snow, and it was so pretty 
as I looked out of the office window on the large white flakes com- 
ing down in abundance from the darkened sky. I am in Charles's 
press-room now. where there is a nice lire. We are trusting in 
Jesus for all. Praise His name. 

" Must I be carried to the skies 
On flowery beds of ease. 
While others fought to win the prize, 
And sailed through bloody seas? 

" Sure I must fight, if I would reign ; 
Increase my courage. Lord ; 
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, 
Supported by thy word." 

You will have opposition, of course, if you get sanctified and 
strike out for Jesus alone; but we can expect that. Read Rev. 7: 14. 
I know that I am ready to meet my just God, should His Beloved 
Son come to take His own. 

" The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace," 
was the instrument that shivered that hanging rock into a thousand 
atoms. Have a firm hold on God in prayer. It is our only hope, 
for the Bible tells about prayers and faith moving mountains. Just 
think what it would mean to us if we were deprived of prayer. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 55 

Yesterday D and I went out for a walk before Sunday- 
school, and gave out tracts as we went. We first walked west on 
Clark Avenue until we could go no further in that direction, and 
so we went a roundabout way, half the time not knowing where we 
were, but at last struck Clark again and started for Jefferson Ave- 
nue, as we thought it was time to go home. As we were going 
along we passed a Catholic Church ; and as the meeting was out, 
the street was thronged with people. We gave them some tracts ; 
and when we got even with the church, we saw a boy giving out 

slips of paper some larger than our tracts. D used to be a 

Catholic, so she askecl him for one, and what do you think, it was 
merely nothing but an advertisement for a grand ball for St. Pat- 
rick's Day. Isn't it awful, right in front of the church on Sunday. 
Our tracts we were distributing told of a girl who lost her soul 
oyer a ball. I believe God will bless those we gave out. 

In the afternoon, it being such a lovely day, we mustered up 
our forces, and separating into two bands, went to hold street 
meetings. Our band went on Choteau Avenue. We had a splendid 
meeting, and after giving out tracts to the listeners, Charles and 

W went home, and the rest of us went into saloons, and then 

around the depot, and on home. 

I am sorry you are lonesome and when you spoke of having my 
room so nice, it took effect. It makes me think of the loving hand 
that did it all, prompted by a loving heart. God bless you for it. I 
would come and always be with you, I believe, were it not that 
I feel I have a work to do in this world, and need an education to 
prepare for it. I know not what my work is, but God does, and 
He is directing our course that way. I mean, though, to spend at 
least two months with you this summer, the Lord willing; and I 
suppose I shall see you more or less every summer, but I can not 
promise anything, as I know not what may come. I know not my 
future ; God alone does. I think, though, it will satisfy you if you 
know I am preparing myself for a life of usefulness in God's 
service. I should dearly love to spend a few months with you 
this summer. We will be able, I think, to tell you more of our 
plans and convictions as to our education in the next letter. We 
belong to God, and when we follow Him, we can never make a 



56 .A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

failure. When you are lonesome, and earnestly wish to see us, 
and we can not come, leave it all with the Lord; for if we settle 
down, what could we do for the world; and when God has called 
us to bestir ourselves, where would we be in the next? I know 
somewhat how you feel, my dear sister, and will try to get home a 
little while this summer. God bless you. I know you would dearly 
love to have us do something for Jesus. 

" May your joy be as deep as the ocean, 
And your sorrow as light as its foam." 

I remain your loving sister, Bertha. 

Dear Bessie : We have been looking around for some time for 
a college or school where we could get a Christian education, and 
we have been directed to McGee Holiness College, College Mound, 
Mo. After praying and considering the matter, ma wrote about it, 
and received an answer that the way was open for us to enter 
whenever we came. That brought us to our knees for God's direc- 
tion, and after much praying we all felt it was God's will. O how 
good He is to open the way for our education. Don't worry about 
us ; the Lord will take care of us. I can see His loving hand in it 
all. God bless you for all your goodness to us. Ma has been 
visiting the last few days. 

We just got the paper out, and have been real busy with it. 
Saturday I was in the press-room helping Charles print, as he was 
very busy. I inked the board. 

Yesterday afternoon W— — , T- , D , and I went and held 

a street meeting on Papin Street. Yesterday was St. Patrick's 
parade, and the newspaper states that a motorman on a street-car 
was almost mobbed for attempting to break the parade so he could 
go on. When he would not stop, they shouted, " Mob him ! " He 
rushed inside the car for protection, and the crowd would have 
broken in the car after him had not a number of policemen ap- 
peared on the scene, and standing at the door of the car warded 
off the crowd of enraged people. 

Yesterday afternoon there was a tramp here, and he got saved. 
Some of us had given him a tract on the street, and told him to 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 57 

come here. We know not how much good a tract ma)' do, but we 
know many times it has resulted well. Praise Jesus ! They shall 
not return unto us void, but shall accomplish that whereunto He 
has sent it. 

Sister D and I went to the store to-night, and were weighed. 

We each weighed, according to those scales, 143 pounds. Pretty 
good weight for a girl only fourteen ; but I will be fifteen before 
very long. God bless you for all your kindness to us. Jesus says, 
"As ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye 
have done it unto me." I am saved and sanctified, hallelujah, and 
mean to go every step of the way. 

Your loving sister. 

My Dear : I hear some bad reports about . If they 

are true, they are getting into the lowest stages of gross immorality. 
I tell you we have to be awfully careful whom we associate with. It 
is only through the grace and mercy of God that He has given us 
mothers that brought us up right, held us back instead of pushing 
us into things that are wrong. How much we have to thank God 
for. 

There is a Mr. S , a missionary to the mountaineers in the 

South, here. He says the mountaineers are ignorant and poor. 
They hardly have clothes for their children, and about all they have 
to eat is corn-bread made of corn meal and water and baked, hog 
grease, and tobacco. He says they are eager for teachers, and that 
they are so hospitable that a teacher is sure of being cared for if 
they go there. He told us many interesting things. I guess we can 
find something to do in our own dear land all right, if we are not 
called to the foreign field. 

Always bear in mind that you are getting your education for the 
glory of God, and must be used for Him. 

I have seen a good many people here. I saw S. B. Shaw. A 
great many of the people I have met since coming here I expect I 
will not see again until we all shall meet in- the glory land, or before 
the Judge of all the earth. I know I am right with God. 

It was so dark before dinner that some of the office workers quit 
setting type, and some went for lamps. I can hear the trains puffing. 
They are continually going under the Choteau bridge. We often 



$8 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

go down there. It is only a short distance. One day Sister C 

and I went down on the foot-bridge, and stood watching the trains 
go under and talking. When we were going to go home, a train 
puffed out smoke, and it came through the cracks in the bridge, and 
we were enveloped in smoke so we could not see for a while. 

We have not time here for all study. We have to work in the 
office. We have Bible study, word analysis, grammar, and physi- 
ology. I am so thankful for all the physiology talks. They say if 
you take seven full breaths of fresh air a day you will not have 
consumption nor pneumonia, and I tell you nobody can get a full 
breath who wears a corset. No one probably knows how many 
women have gone to the grave, and are going right along, from 
the wearing of corsets. I think physiology is one of the most 
essential studies you can get. In Kansas children are compelled to 
study it from five years and up, and never graduate. You can tell 
people that corsets and anything tight is bad, but they need to get 
into their heads what it injures, and how it does it. With all I 
know about them I purpose never to wear one as long as I live. God 
does not want us to sin against our bodies. I can hardly bear to 
see my dear friends hurting their lives. 

Well, good-by. Be true to God. Pray much. Bertha. 

My Precious Sister: Last night we went to the Mission, where 

we had a good meeting. Sunday Sister D and I gave out tracts 

and visited people. We went to some places where we had never 
been before. We had a good time, and the promise of five or more 
Sunday-school children. 

We are all well and happy in Jesus. Before you decide to stay 

with , I hope you will take into consideration what I wrote 

you some time ago. Shun evil companions. I love you, and am 
interested in you. 

Jesus is my all in all to-night, a very present help in time of 
trouble. 

" Oh, 'twas love, love, 
Love that moved the Mighty God, 
Love, love, 'twas love found me." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 59 

" Here friends assemble, 

Hand and heart. 
Whom life may sever, 

Death must part. 
Sweet be their deaths, 

Their lives well spent; 
And these their 

Friendship's monument." 

My dear,— . 

" Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 
And, departing, leave behind us 
Footprints on the sands of time ; 
Footprints, that perhaps another, 
Sailing o'er life's solemn main, 
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, 
Seeing, shall take heart again." 

There goes the bell for singing-school. Be true to God. It 
pays both in this life and in the next. Bless God for salvation. I 
am free from sin ; striving for a crown. I remain your loving 
sister, determined by the grace of God to make my home in a better 
world. Bertha. 

My Dear Alice : Last Sunday night Charles and I went to hear 
Amanda Smith. She spoke splendidly. The house was packed. I 
suppose you have heard of her. 

Sunday afternoon we had another good street meeting on Chest- 
nut. After that we divided, and some went into saloons, and the 
rest of us went around distributing tracts till our supply gave out. 
Bless God for salvation. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a 
brother; a very present help in time of trouble. I have proven that 
to be true. It pays to be true to God every time. I know this 
morning that I am a child of a king. 

" God is our wisdom ; God is our might ; 
God ever near us, guiding us right. 



60 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

He understands us ; knows all our need. 
Trusting in Him, we'll surely succeed." 

"To God only wise, be glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever. 
Amen." Rom. 16:27. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be 
with you all." Rom. 16 : 24. " Blessed are ye, when men shall 
revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil 
against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: 
for great is your reward in heaven." Glory and honor and majesty 
to our God. 

Here I am sitting on some steps going down to the railroad 
tracks, eating ginger snaps. I wish you were here, for I know you 
Ijke them. There is a railroad in front of us, and green things all 
around. We are out in Carondelet and in the park. It is so sunny 
here, and if wishes could do anything you would be at my side 
enjoying it ; but as they can not, it is no use to wish. Chickens 
are cackling, and it sounds like home. There is a country well 
here, and everything is green, and to my right is a country road 
which reminds me of home. I thought you would enjoy having me 
write to you when I was right here, so I did. O how beautiful the 
world we live in is. It looks so much like the country here; the 
grass is so green and nice. We expect to stay until Monday. People 
are beginning to pass pretty fast, and the day is waning, and I must 
go. It is a beautiful spring evening. Good-by from here. 

Charles and I have just been down to the river, where I expected 
to write, but found it too cold. We sat on a plank, shaded by a 
log. There were some steamboats some distance south of us, and 
all along the shore are houses built with boats under them, so when 
the water rises they sail around with it, I suppose. 

Well, bless God for salvation more than all. Be true to God 
in every time and place. I remain your true friend, striving for a 
home in heaven, where parting is not known. Bertha. 

From her j ournal : — 

March, 1900 — 

" O God, our help in ages past, 
Our hope for years to come, 




BERTHA'S FRIEND AUCB. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 63 

Our shelter from the stormy blast, 
And our eternal home ! " 

Never did Jesus seem so precious. I am glad I have a through 
ticket to glory. 

Monday Morning, April 3, 1900. — We started for College 
Mound at 9: 15 a. m. We got to Moberly about 1 : 00 p. m., and we 
changed cars for Excello, where we arrived about two o'clock. We 
waited there until night, then came out here to College Mound. The 
sisters have arranged for us to have a room, and they furnished it 
the best they could ; and the night we moved in they came with a 
whole lot of provisions, and gave us a start, so you see all things 
work together for good to those that love God. I like the people 
here so much. They are so kind. It is a splendid Holiness Col- 
lege. I believe more than ever that God was in our coming here. 
I belong to Him, and He is just the same to-day, yesterday, and 
forever. He never changes. " Jesus is my all in all ; a never-failing 
friend." "Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid." " Other friends 
may fail me, He is still my own." 

I like the school better every day, and I like the teachers, too. I 
love to go to school. These people are very spiritual, and I love 
them. I used to long for an education, but did not see how I ever 
was going to get one. I did not realize that God was looking out for 
that, and was already working it out. The first thing was for me 
to go to St. Louis. I always believed that God led me there, and I 
do to-day; but I never felt that He wanted me to stay so very long, 
and I had a clear evidence our time there was ended, and we ought 
to leave when we did, and from there He led us here. 

They had a temperance meeting here last Sunday. I tell you that 
is what I am interested in. I have seen enough of the curse of the 
damning stuff, and I am ready to throw myself in the balance 
against it. 

"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, 
Over mountain, or plain, or sea ; 
I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord, 
I'll be what you want me to be." 



64 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Jesus saves, sanctifies, and keeps me, and He has never left nor 
forsaken me. 

Here is a piece written for publication in the interest of 
the school the first term she was there : — 

McGEE HOLINESS COLLEGE. 

I feel it my duty to write in the interest of the school. I will say 
that there are not many schools that can compete with it. In say- 
ing this, we are not exaggerating, but are stating facts. The godly 
as well as the moral influence of this school is splendid, and every- 
thing tends to lead one upward. 

We have chapel services every morning from 8 : 30 to 9 : 00 
o'clock, when the word of God is read and expounded, hymns 
sung, and opportunities for testimony given. Another great feature 
of the school is the Bible class. All Christians will admit that the 
Bible is the most important study there is. It is by the Bible that 
we are to be judged, and therefore it is necessary to have a knowl- 
edge of what is in it. The Christian people of to-day know com- 
paratively little about the Bible. This is a truth which ought not 
to be, and is the cause of many being shipwrecked and going into 
fanaticism. They have very little idea of the great truths con- 
tained in that blessed Book of books. It is an exceedingly profound 
book. The more we dig into it, the more we see in it. A person 
who intends to be a worker for the Lord must be well founded on 
the Bible. 

The study of the Bible is foremost in this school. One hour 
each morning is devoted to it. We are studying the tabernacles from 
a scientific standpoint ; comparing the literal tabernacle with the 
human body. It is truly a profound study ; and as I sit in the 
class from day to day, and study His blessed Word, the more I 
can see the wisdom of an infinite God. The Bible is the deepest 
book of science you can find. 

I don't believe the people fully comprehend the opportunities 
they have of sending their children to a Christian school. Dear 
friends, especially you who intend to work for the Lord, can you 
afford to miss this Bible class? You will get truths here that you 



OR THE LIFE OF BERT II A RASMUSSEN 65 

can not from any commentary. You will get a foundation upon 
which to build; something that will go with you all through life, 
and will not forsake you when you come to die. 

Any who come to this school will be kindly welcomed. The 
teachers are very kind, and will do all in their power to help you 
in your studies. When I came here I thought I had never received 
a kinder welcome anywhere. Come at once. You can not afford to 
lose a day. We pass this way but once, then let us improve every 
opportunity. Any one who would like a catalogue, or any other in- 
formation, address Prof. E. E. Taylor, president, College Mound, 
Mo. 

I shall be glad to take part in welcoming any who may come. I 
am here endeavoring to fit myself for a life of usefulness. God 
opened the way for me to come when it seemed impossible, and He 
can do the same for you. There is a saying, " To see, is to believe ; " 
so if you don't quite believe all that I have been telling you about 
the school, come and see for yourself. You who really want to 
come, but don't see how you can, ask God to help you. Nothing is 
impossible with God. Yours in the battle for truth and right. 

Bertha. 

My Dear Sister and Brother: O how God leads His children 
into green pastures. I see His blessed hand in all, and we cast our 
care on Him, for He careth for us. Jesus is my refuge and strength, 
a very present help in trouble. I can not see everything clear ahead, 
but God has said, " The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold 
your peace." Ex. 14: 14. I take that promise, and leave it all in 
His hand, and go ahead, and not worry, or cross any bridges until I 
reach them, or shed any borrowed tears. The Lord has wonderfully 
fulfilled that promise for me before, and He is just the same now 
and forever. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one word 
of that blessed book shall fail ; so we ought to feel secure, and not 
go around looking as if we had lost our last friend. 

Praise God. I like College Mound people so much. Charles is 
to lead the young people's meeting to-night. He is eighteen years 
old to-day. God bless you for all your kindness to us. I like the 
school every day. I like the teachers, too. I bless God for such 



66 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

privileges as we enjoy. We have a cozy little room here, and God 
has promised that the cruse of oil shall not fail nor the measure of 
meal, and I trust Him for all. I feel safe. I am saved, O hallelujah. 
I remain your ever true sister to stand for God and truth, 

Bertha 

My Precious Alice: You speak of walking up-town and getting 
so tired. I know what that is, for I walked a great deal when in 
St. Louis, and sometimes I would be so tired I could hardly walk 
home. Nearly every Sunday, when the weather was fit to go (and it 
nearly always was), I would walk around so much giving out tracts, 
hunting up Sunday-school children, going to street meetings and 
going to missions, that by night my feet would be so tired and sore 
that I could hardly walk. I have had some wonderfully good 
times in St. Louis. I remember many sunny days when I would 
go to the depot and around the corner to the store. I would so 
often think of you. If it be God's will I will yet see you face to 
face, when we can talk our hearts out, and not have to depend on a 
feeble pen to portray our deepest thoughts, feelings, and words. 
Bless God, I am the child of a King. My mind wanders back to 
St. Louis so much this morning. I am so glad I ever was there. 

I am glad got saved. I hope she will stick to it this time. 

If she does not. I am afraid the devil will get her after all. I am 
glad you are still saved. Be true to God; it pays. We pass this 
way but once. What we do must be done quickly ; the night cometh 
when no man can work. I am still saved and sanctified. 

Your loving sister. Bertha. 

Precious Sister and Brother: 

" There is room for us all in heaven, 
Where the blood-washed never part." 

I have been out in the country this week. It is quite a pretty 
country out there. 

We had a wonderfully good prayer-meeting yesterday afternoon. 
I believe it was one of the best ones I ever was in. We had a 
blessed time. Nearly every one seemed touched. I wish you could 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 67 

come down here and go to school. It would be the best place for 
you, if you are called to preach, for I never in my life saw a man 
that knew so much about the Bible as Professor Taylor, and he has 
the Bible class in his room. He is talking of taking the whole Bible 
through next winter; and Oh! if he don't get in the deep things in 
the Bible. I like to study the Bible, and am so glad I ever got to 
come here. 

I am still saved, praise God. Bertha. 

College Mound, Mo., April, 1900. 

My Precious Sister Alice: It is such a beautiful evening. I like 
the people here so much. I like every one of the teachers. I study 
nearly all day long. I like to study. 

I used to tell you about riding on the street-cars while you had 
to go on a stage-coach, but I guess I am in about as small a town 
now. The trains do not run through College Mound, but do to 
Excello, about five miles from here. This place is about one hun- 
dred and twenty^five miles nearer you than St. Louis. As for com- 
ing up there this summer, all I can do is to pray God's will to be 
done in the matter. My precious sister, I shall never forget you ; 
I shall always be your friend, and pray for you. Jesus is a friend 
that sticketh closer than a brother, and if we have Him we are all 
right. Of course it is natural to want to see those we love. 

I like this college very much. We do not board. We have a 
room, and board ourselves. Yes, I think of you as the same old 
girl. 

Be true to God. 

It pays to serve Jesus ; 

I speak from the heart. 
He'll ever be with us, 

If we do our part. 

It is such a beautiful morning. Quit a contrast from St. Louis 
life. The birds are chirping merrily, and everything is so nice. Just 
think, millions of these birds are killed to put on women's hats. Is 
it not awful ! God bless you. I remain your ever true friend, deter- 



68 . A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

mined to do my best and gain a home in Heaven. Hallelujah! I am 
glad I am the Lord's, saved, sanctified, and on good terms with the 
Almighty. Bertha. 

My Precious Sister: I have just been out canvassing, and had 
good success. It is a beautiful evening, and I am out on the west 
porch. It is thundering some. It is cloudy now, but not raining. T 
like such evenings. 

Charlie has been helping clean some of the rooms at the College. 
I am getting along very well in my studies. Those pictures I am 
to enlarge have not come back from St. Louis yet. But I will put 
in my time canvassing until they come. I just like to study so much. 
The Lord has wonderfully helped us since- we came here. This prom- 
ise is just as true as it is old! "But seek ye first the kingdom of 
God, and his righteousness ; and all these things shall be added 
unto you," and also this proverb, "The Lord helps them that help 
themselves." The people here are so kind. God bless them. I 
believe it is lightening. Bless God, I am not afraid of storms. God 
has taken all the fear out of me. When storms and the like come, I 
feel " Safe in the arms of Jesus." O what a happy feeling. Only 
the true Christian knows what a blissful feeling, and how secure 
we feel when everything looks desolate, dark, and stormy. I love 
Jesus more than all. I do love Jesus with all my heart, soul, might, 
mind, and strength, and my neighbor as myself. I feel a joy and 
happiness I can't express. A peace that the world can not give, and, 
best of all, can't take away. If the world could take it away, there 
would not be much hope for us. Who could help but love such a 
Saviour. 

He died for us on the mountain; 
For us they pierced His side. 

For us the fountain was opened, 
The cleansing crimson tide. 

For us He's waiting in glory; 
He's promised never to leave us, 
Never to leave us alone. 

O bless God, it would do you so much good if you could be at 
our Bible study. There is no success outside the perfect will of God. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 69 

O the thousands who have tried it and failed. Just think; not long 
until the second 'advent of Christ. Is it not time we were stretch- 
ing every nerve to save our own souls and others? I never felt it 
so forcibly as I do to-night — the importance of making our lives 
count. By God's assisting grace I mean to fight for truth and 
right until God will say to me, "It is enough, come up higher;" 
"well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful 
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things ; enter 
thou into the joy of thy Lord." 

I have almost learned my piece for Commencement. It is a fine 
temperance piece. It has twenty-eight verses in it. 

Your own, Bertha. 

My Dearest Sister : The Lord is helping us right out. Bless 
His almighty and eternal name. Saturday night that box came. O 
how nice everything was. Best of all, it reminded us of one who 
sent it. It is such a blessing to have the privilege of going to school 
where the teachers are all saved and sanctified, and who live their 
religion. We are getting along pretty well in our studies. This is a 
nice, quiet little place. My piece is a temperance piece. I am tem- 
perance through and through, and I believe every true Christian is, 
and I do not believe there is a single sickness in which liquor is 
needed whatever, and if people can not trust their own Creator, who 
made them, with their bodies and souls less than whisky. I am still 
on my way to glory, bless God. 

The other day we went to Macon City. On the way there we 
passed some fruit farms. One was eighty acres of orchard, another 
sixty acres, and we saw what is called the model farm of the world. 
It is owned by a millionaire. He takes young men and makes sol- 
diers of them. We also saw his fair-grounds and racing-rings. He 
owns some of the fastest horses in the world. The boys are taught 
to dance. They have a lake on the farm, and after we reached the 
city we heard that one of the boys had been drowned. His mother 
was in Mexico, and this was her only son. On our way back from 
the city, as we passed there we saw the soldiers sitting on the hill 
smoking cigarettes. It is just awful to think of. Parents little 
realize what they are sending their children to when they send them 



70 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

there. I will say good-by, with lots of love. I remain your true 
sister, . Bertha. 

My Precious Sister: 

" The cross that He gave may be heavy, 
But it ne'er outweighs His grace; 
The storm that you feared may surround you, 
But it ne'er excludes His face." 

" Rock of ages, cleft for me, 
•Let me hide myself in thee." 

Charlie is over in the office, and I am here writing. I have been 
working on the pictures off and on all day. One is nearly ready to 
send to the owner, and the other one is getting along pretty well. 

I would not be a single person under the sun to-day except my- 
self. It will comfort us to know you are not despondent over the 
fact that I can not come home this summer. There will come a time 
some day, God willing, when we will meet again. It may not be at 
Sunnyside, though. The Lord only knows where we will be five 
years from now, or even one year or less. Time is flying swiftly. 
What is done must be done quickly. Oh how I wish you could be 
in our Revelation class. It would help any one so much. My mind 
often wanders back to old times, especially to my Elk Point trip, 
and how God took care of us girls when 'we were in danger. I think 
sometimes how hard it must be for you to be separated from us all, 
and how much I would like to be with you ; and if we lived to 
please ourselves, I likely would be there. God created us for a 
different purpose, — that of working for humanity. When God calls 
us out from home, we often have to leave our dearest earthly friends 
in God's care. When I was at the Missionary Home in St. Louis, 
I often sang to myself in bed, — 

"Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep, 
When the darkening shadows round about me creep; 
Knowing I shall waken never more to roam, 
Anywhere with Jesus will be Home, Sweet Home." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 7 1 

It is a beautiful May morning. The sun is shining and the gras^ 
is sparkling. The birds are singing so sweetly. It reminds me of 
the May mornings a year ago. The grape-vines are climbing around 
also. I will soon be fifteen. What a short time since my last birth 
day. My heart is too full to write. Pen is too feeble an instrument 
for the occasion. 

It is twilight now. The beautiful sun has set to shine on other 
climes, while we enjoy a night of rest. It is a beautiful evening. 

I have now reached the 14th Psalm in reading the Bible through. 
Lately I have been getting time in school to read some in my Bible, 
I would get my lessons and then read. I just love the Bible. I 
have never appreciated or valued it so much as this year. Many are 
the battles we have fought — of course it was not us, but God who 
fought them for us — since this time last year. We are either getting 
better or worse by these battles of life. If we fight them in the 
strength of our King, we shall win and grow ; but if we let the 
devil do the winning, we will pay for it, and that dearly. Every 
time we let the devil defeat us, we have dropped terribly in the 
scale of life. So think of it every time the devil defeats you in 
what may seem "a small matter to you, that it has taken from your 
life a great deal of firmness and strength that you can not afford to 
spare. God will give you strength, of course, but every time you 
gain a victory you are that much stronger to win the next battle 
through Christ's ever-needed strength and aid. 

You asked about our convictions: We just laid it before God, 
and listen here : "And the light shall shine upon thy ways." Job 
22:28. Read Job 22 to the close of the chapter. It is just what 
you need. That passage was one of my particular promises when 
we were praying about coming here. "And the light shall." One of 
God's shall's means more than ours. They mean shall in the true 
sense of the word. " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with 
thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor 
wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." 

Good-by, I must close. Yours, Bertha 

My Precious Alice: I just received your letter. I am sorry you 
are not feeling well, and that you are getting so poor. So do I 



72 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

think of by-gone days. I am so glad that the Lord is blessing you. 
and I am glad we can write. Well, bless God, things that we can 
not tell any one else on account of absence or other things we can 
tell to God. O my own dear Alice, you are just like a sister to me. 
and I don't think there is a soul more interested in your welfare 
than I am. O how I miss you and Bessie, the dearest absent friends 
I have. 

My piece for Commencement is about the result of one drink 
It is so sad. It was an awful result. It is about a young man 
who left his Christian parents and went to the city. He was invited 
to a party by his employer's beautiful daughter, and there she 
asked him to have a glass of wine. He told her he did not drink 
wine, but she answered, " O you'll not refuse me, for there is no 
harm in this wine." And at last he drank it. Then came the sec 
ond scene. It was again evening, and I tell about a sleighing party, 
and this same young lady and her lover occupy the first sleigh 
They have a runaway, and a tramp was trampled under and killed 
And it proved to be that boy she had coaxed to take his first glass 
of wine. And it then says — 

" He is dead ; yes, wine did it, 
Offered by a maiden sweet, 
Just five years ago to-night, 
Now the ruin is complete ! " 

Then in the next verse it implores ladies to be careful about 
wrecking people's lives. I think it is so good. I like temperance 
anyway. I will soon be fifteen. I expect I will spend a far different 
birthday this time than I did the last time. Do you remember how 
we spent the first Tuesday after ma and Charles went to St. Louis ? 

" Our friends on earth we meet with gladness, 

How swift the moments fly; 
But ever comes the thought of sadness, 

That we must say good-by. 
We'll never say good-by in heaven, 

We'll never say good-by, 
For in that land of joy and song, 

We'll never say good-by." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 



/3 



You remember our trip and stay at Wall Lake and our trip 

back over sloughs, getting something to eat at L ; how it rained, 

and I lost my hat, and of the blessed times we had together. My 
mind is wandering back this morning. I well remember the day 

I came back from taking B to the Institute. When I came 

driving up the lane, and how anxious you were to have me eat all 
I could after I got in the house, but I was too happy to eat. I know 
I felt so good. What happy times we enjoyed in our innocent 
childhood. I tell you we want to keep as innocent in our woman- 
hood. Let's make our lives sublime, and departing leave behind 
us footprints on the sands of time. We can do it by God's help. 
I must close now, and get ready for school. I remain as ever your 
true friend, and in the fight for right. Bertha. 

Journal. June 4, 1900. — I am fifteen to-day. Bless God, He 
has tided me over fifteen years of my life. Jesus saves and sanc- 
tifies me now. O how good He is to us. 

" God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have ever- 
lasting life." John 3 : 16. 

June 16. — Bless God, I am still alive, and on my way to glory. 
School was out on the 7th. The teachers are all going away on a 
vacation. I am so glad Jesus can stay with us. Camp-meeting does 
not start until August. O I am so glad we have a Saviour who is 
mighty to save. I am so glad God ever led us here. It pays to wait 
on the Lord. God meant something when he said in His Word, 
" Wait, I say, on the Lord." The Lord is sending in things in the 
line of eatables. He is not going to see us go hungry if we obey 
Him and do His will. 

June 18. — " But the very hairs of your head are all numbered 
Fear ye not therefore ; ye are of more value than many sparrows." 
Oh blessed thought. To God be all the glory. 

My soap I canvassed for came this evening, and I delivered 

some of it. I went down to Sr. with the soap she ordered. 

She was feeling very bad in body, so I stayed longer than I other- 



74 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

wise would have done. I prayed with her, and she prayed. She 
felt better. I then left, and went over to G *s, who was acci- 
dentally shot a week ago, and stayed with him a long time. I am 
saved, sanctified, and ready for glory. 

June 19. — I am so glad Jesus has saved me from all sin. 

Extract from a letter : — 

Dear Alice: It is raining now, and quite dark. I have just 
been writing in my journal. I have kept my journal now since I 
first started. People going from place to place make a journal 
quite interesting. I have just been playing the guitar and singing 
a song. It is so good that I will write it for you : — 

" Life is like a mountain railroad 

With an engineer that's brave ; 
We must make the run successful, 

From the cradle to the grave. 
Watch the curves; the tills, the tunnels, 

Never falter, never quail ; 
Keep your hand upon the throttle, 

And your eye upon the rail. 

"Chorus: 

" Blessed Saviour, Thou wilt guide us 
Till we reach that blissful shore, 
Where the angels wait to join us 
In Thy praise forevermore. 

" You will roll up grades of trial, 

You will cross the bridge of strife; 
See that Christ is your conductor, 

On this lightning train of life. 
Always mindful of obstructions, 

Do your duty, never fail ; 
Keep your hand upon the throttle, 

And your eye upon the rail. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 75 

" You will always find obstructions ; 

Look for storms of wind and rain, 
On a fill, or curve, or trestle, 

They will almost ditch your train. 
Put your trust alone in Jesus, 

Never falter, never fail ; 
Keep your hand upon the throttle, 

And your eye upon the rail. 

"As you roll across the trestle, 

Spanning death's dark swelling tide, 
You behold the Union Depot 

Into which your train will glide. 
There you'll meet the Superintendent, 

God the Father, God the Son, 
With the hearty, joyous plaudit, 

■ Weary pilgrim, welcome home.' " 

Hallelujah! Alice, every word of that is as true as can be. 
God bless you, and make you a brave soldier, one that will go any- 
where with Jesus, and one who will bear the taunts and scorn of 
men, and not fear. I earnestly pray that I may be one of that 
class. 



My Dear Sister: I just sent down the picture I enlarged for 

Mrs. . I got a lovely frame for it. This is such a quiet place 

compared to St. Louis. I remember when I went under Choteau 
Bridge the last time, and we pulled out of St. Louis. I remember 
the night we had been out to see if we could get the tent for 
camp-meeting, and coming home a storm was coming up, and we 
went in such a hurry and picked strawberries, and how many we 
had to eat. A storm is coming up now. O, thank God, I know my 
Father holds it in His hand, and He will take care of it. The 
storm is here in all its fury, but bless God, my soul is calm. I feel 
as peaceful as a child in its mother's arms. Jesus bade the winds 
"be still" when He was with His disciples, and He is just the 



76 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

same, yesterday, to-day, and forever. Hallelujah. I thank God 
I am not afraid of storms. He has taken the fear all away. 

• O, be true to God. How very true it is that we pass this way 
but once, what we do we must do quickly. Behold, the Bridegroom 
cometh as a thief in the night. May He find us watching, with 
our lamps trimmed and burning. Oh, may we hear Jesus pro- 
nounce this sentence upon us, the one which will alone give us 
comfort in that dreadful hour of judgment, "Well done, thou good 
and faithful servant : thou hast been faithful over a few things I 
will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of 
thy Lord." It may seem at times as though God had forsaken us, 
but we have an evidence that He has not. Who is it that keeps our 
hearts beating from day to day? If God should forget us, we would 
drop dead in a moment. When we see the beautiful sun wending 
its way, never turning right nor left, but keeping straight ahead, al- 
ways doing its duty, and never getting out of its course, we can 
think what great care God takes of us. And when God can keep 
all the planets suspended in space, how much more can He keep us. 
My! how time flies. Let us, then, be up and doing. I am saved 
and sanctified. 

" Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling, . 
Come follow me ! 
And we see where Thy footprints falling, 
Lead us to Thee. 

" Though they lead o'er the cold, dark mountains, 
Seeking His sheep ; 
Or along by Siloam's fountains, 
Helping the weak. 

" If they lead through the temple holy, 
Preaching the Word; 
Or in the homes of the poor and lowly, 
Serving the Lord. 

" By and by, through the shining portals, 
Turning our feet, 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 77 

We shall walk with the glad immortals, 
Heaven's golden street. 

" Then at last when on high He sees us, 
Our journey done, 
We shall rest where the steps of Jesus, 
End at his throne. 

" Chorus: 

" Footprints of Jesus, that make the pathway glow ; 
We will follow the steps of Jesus, where'er they go." 

Can each one of us say this and mean it? 

Your loving sister, Bertha. 

My Dear Alice : Charles and I were out for a walk. We went 
quite a ways in the country. We wished for you. 

The mantle of night is about to fall on us while it lifts itself 
from other climes, leaving them to enjoy a day of sunshine. The 
sun shining in the hazy horizon reminds us of how wonderfully 
God has planned things. We realize the truth of this verse, " The 
heavens declare the glory of God ; and the firmament showeth his 
handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night 
showeth knowledge." Psalms 19:1, 2. 

Bless God, I am still striving to make a home in heaven. I 
expect to go to a place where no tears are shed, and where the 
word " farewell " is never spoken. Bless God for that. 

In St. Louis they use parasols over the horses' heads. I have 
been over to Sister 's nearly all day ironing. 

Do you know there used to be a country in the Old World called 
Poland? It was conquered by the Russians, I believe, under Max- 
imilian, who killed the king. The heir to the Polish throne and 
the rest of the royal family were exiled. The heir then went to 
Italy, but was also exiled from there. He then came to the United 
States, and was bugler in the Mexican War, I believe. Maximilian 
was one of the leading generals on the Mexican side, and he was 
killed by the regiment for which this heir was bugler. So the 
murderer of his father, the slain king, died in the battle he was in. 



70 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

This heir to the Polish throne is a temperance lecturer now, and 
they say he was here two years ago. We see that even people of 
high positions in life are not always happy. I am glad I am heir 
to a throne which no one can take from me. Bless God for that. 
I am heir to a mansion, a robe, and a crown. 

" For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life." John 3 : 16. Is not the amazing love of Almighty 
God wonderful ? 

" Thus saith the Lord, Let no the wise man glory in his wis- 
dom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich 
man glory in his riches : but let him that glorieth glory in this, that 
he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exer- 
cise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for 
for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Jer. 9 : 23, 24. 

I have seen thousands of people that I probably will never see 
again until we meet at the final judgment. "When I* have been down 
to the Union Station at St. Louis it made me think of the time 
when we shall all sweep into Heaven's Union Depot. 

My Ever-Precious Sister : I suppose you will be home this sum- 
mer. There is a graveyard west of the college. I like to visit 
graveyards, but have not been to that one yet. 

The beautiful sun has now gone down. The horizon is gray, 
and farther up tinted with a pinkish hue, which all reminds us of 
the Author of it all. It is one of the most beautiful evenings I 
ever saw. O, how I should love to take another walk with you. I 
saw a humming-bird the other day. My! they are the cutest 
things. Well do I remember when we used to go to meeting to- 
gether. You used to come and go with us. I have that note yet 
you wrote me about coming down to eat goose eggs on Easter. 

That was when we had Sunday-school at D . My mind is flooded 

with thoughts of my childhood. It was clouded by one dark cloud. 
God alone knows all, but He has brought us through. I must not 
dwell on this scene. There is another side to things. 

Be true to God. We live not to please ourselves. We were 
created to glorify God and benefit humanity. Now the very God 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 79 

of peace be and abide with you through life and grant to make youl 
life a success, and may you leave a mark in the world that shall 
never be erased in time or eternity. Remember these sweet words. 
"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him," and we shall bt 
glorified together. I am saved, and on the way to glory. Good-b\ 

Bertha. 

My Dearest : Do you remember when we were at that camp 
meeting? I enjoyed that meeting so much. I came near losing m> 
old hat on the way home. 

I was weighed to-day, and I weighed 121 pounds ; so you see 1 
am getting slimmer. I went down to the post-office only to find 
there was no mail for us. Well, bless God, it is all right. 

" He's not too high in heaven to hear 
The story of our woes ; 
And every sigh and every tear, 
The blessed Jesus knows. 

" The cares that fret, however small, 
His tender eye can see; 
And if he heeds the sparrow's fall, 
He will take care of me. 

" The darkest night can never hide 
Me from His holy sight : 
And with me will His love abide, 
Through all the hours of night." 

Thank God for that. I am glad he knows it all. 

I have just been reading of a girl, with name same as yours, and 
of her heart-rending history and sad fall. Oh ! what a burst ol 
anguish came over my soul as I thought of a pure, spotless girl in 
South Dakota. Many an innocent soul as pure and spotless as you 
and I have fallen victims to this curse of curses, " Traffic in Girls.'' 
Oh God ! My heart cries out, Send me. We must remember it is 
not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. Let us not be 



8n A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

like Cain. When God asked him where his brother was, he pre- 
tended not to know. Let us be our sisters' keeper. Oh, the many 
hearts tliat are aching to-night. We can only hope and pray and 
ask God what He wants us to do, and then do it. 

Let us pray for the coming election, that prohibition may win; 
for if there were no saloons, these awful sorrows would be pre- 
vented. People may say it is no use to work for prohibition ; but 
don't let the devil make you believe that, for God says. "All things 
are possible to him that believeth " (Mark 9:23), and He can not 
lie. He also says, " If two of you shall agree on earth as touching 
anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my 
Father which is in heaven." Are we willing to stand on God's 
promises? 

The thorns of the road will seem nothing when we get to the 
end of the way. Yes, indeed ! Bless God. 

It is getting late, and in an hour from now I will have gone to 
sleep, safe in the arms of Jesus. How blessed it is to feel that. I 
suppose you have seen our prohibition president. May God grant 
that right may win, and that demon may be swept away that is 
not only causing the death of our boys and fathers, but is also 
damning tke souls and bodies of our sisters all over our fair but 
blighted land. Let us unite our prayers for it. If I remember, I 
will send you a poem, namely, " Stone Her — Let the Man Go Free." 
It was in our missionary paper, and I thought it was so good. That 
is just the way the world goes. May God hasten the day when 
we shall see justice done, and not be partial to any sex or race. 

We are expecting a good camp-meeting and the largest crowds 
that have ever been here. It is estimated that at one of the 
camp-meetings held here that three thousand people attended on 
Sunday. I am still saved and sanctified and on my way to heaven 
with the glory in my soul. I am not at all tired of the way. Jesus 
is my all in all. I feel that this is my experience, — 

"Anywhere with Jesus. I can go to sleep, 
When the darkening shadows round about me creep, 
Knowing I shall waken, never more to roam. 
Anywhere with Jesus, will be Home, Sweet Home." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 8 1 

My precious sister, be true to God. What we do must 1 e done 
quickly, for the night cometh when no man can work. 

God be with you till we meet again. Bertha. 

Journal. June 30, 1900. — Oh hallelujah! Jesus saves me from 
all sin. 

THE ETERNAL WILL. 

" To war the armored nations march, 

With echoing tread and thud of drums ; 
But under heaven's triumphant arch, 

A king unseen in conquest comes. 
A thousand wills are crossed in war, 

A thousand victories lost and won. 
They alter not His changeless law, 

' God's will is destined to be done.' 

" To that one ' will ' creation turns 

Her myriad gaze, in wonder dumb. 
No flowers that blow, no sun that burns, 

His secret tells in light or bloom. 
But righteous law at last shall prove, 

' To Him was every battle won/ 
Creation's travail brought forth ' Love.' 

'God's zuill is destined to be done.'" 

" The lot is cast into the lap ; but the whole disposing thereof is 
of the Lord." (Bible.) '''God's will is destined to be done." How 
very true this is. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for what- 
soever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." We pass this way 
but once. Let us be up and doing. God help us. 

July 10, 1900. — It is a beautiful day. Bless God, there will be 
no parting when Jesus comes. 

July 22, 1900. — The prospects are as high as the promises of 
God. Hallelujah. He saves, sanctifies, heals, and keeps me. " Lo, 
I am with you alway ; even unto the end of the world." 



82 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

July 29, 1900. — 

" We pass this way but once ! 
The ripened harvest white, 

Has waited long 

The reaper's song; 
Thrust in the sickle bright. 

" We pass this way but once ! 

There's work divine for thee; 

On every hand, 

The needy stand, 
And sigh for sympathy. 

" We pass this way but once ! 
Wage well thy warfare now ; 

Beyond the strife, 

Bright crowns of life 
Await the victor's brow. 

" We pass this way but once — 
Where saints and heroes trod 

Through toil and pain, 

At last to gain 
The paradise of God. Bless God." 

Aug. 4, 1900. — It is now 9:45 p. m., and another day has passed 
and gone, never to return. I moved Wednesday, and have been 
very busy ever since. 

Charlie is getting well fast. Camp-meeting commences Thurs- 
day. I am still on my way to heaven,- saved and sanctified. 

August 5, 1900. — I did not go to church to-night, as I had no 
one to come home with. I can hear them singing over there. I 
am so glad that I am a child of the King of kings. Victory, eter- 
nal victory, through the Saviour. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 83 

August 12, 1900. — 

" When we've been there ten thousand years, 
Bright shining as the sun ; 
We've no less days to sing God's praise, 
Than when we first begun." 

Hallelujah. 

My Precious Alice : We can not always be children, neither 
can we always be together, but oh, let us make our lives worth 
something. I thank God we have the privilege of writing to each 
other. I suppose you will be at camp-meeting up there. You will 
miss me this year, and I will you ; but thank God, Jesus will be with 
us. He is a friend, and the only friend that can go with us down 
to death's cold river and cross it with us. No earthly friend, no 
matter how dear, can do that, though they might want to. " Even 
the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore : 
ye are of more value than many sparrows." Is not that grand? It 
is found in Luke 12 : 7. 

This seems to be quite a fruit country. I had all the cherries I 
could eat to-day where I was visiting. It is very hilly from here 
to Excello, which is the nearest railroad station. 

I wish you would copy that temperance piece for me about the 
doctor speaking and the minister and deacon saying, Amen. You 
and I are temperance from the tops of our heads to the soles of 
our feet, and we must be working for that. Remember these verses 
which are so inspiring, "Be of good courage;" "as thy day is so 
shall thy strength be ; " "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." 
Never alone ; no, never alone. Thou needst not fear. Jesus is a 
friend that sticketh closeth than a brother. Read John 3 : 16. Is it 
not blessed that He loved us so much as that? 

I am now reading Moody's Life. It is very interesting. If you 
get a chance, you ought to read " Fifty Years in the Church of 
Rome, or The Life of Charles Chiniquy." I read it. It is splendid. 
It sheds light on popery, and is very instructive as well as inter- 
esting. 



84 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

"But though rivers and States divide us, 
And you no more I see, 
Remember that one true friend 
Will often think of thee." 

Jesus is my rock and my salvation. The Lord is my refuge and 
strength, a very present help in trouble. He has always proven 
Himself to be so. God bless you, Alice ; you have been a comfort 
and help to me, and I trust I have been to you. Oh, what a won- 
derful deliverer God is. He is the only one who can help us in 
trouble. What pain it would give me if you backslide. God can 
use you, and this world needs your Christian influence. Do your 
duty, never fail. Keep your eyes upon Jesus. Search the Scriptures. 
I must say good-by. As ever yours for lost humanity, 

Bertha. 

My Precious Sister: I have been writing some letters. I don't 
believe you realize how much I love you. How much greater is the 
love of Jesus. Our love is not to be compared to it. God knows 
how to work His working. His mind is not finite like ours, but 
infinite. God is supplying all our needs, bless His holy name. I 
say God bless you from the bottom of my heart. Keep up your 
courage. 

" The cross is not greater than His grace, 
The storms can not hide His blessed face." 

God is wonderfully supplying our needs, and when He thinks 
we need a change He gives us the money to get something new, or 
puts it in the heart of some of His children to give it to us. 

" Then rally, rally, rally round the cross, 
No one there shall ever suffer loss." 

But in the name of Jesus we will conquer every foe. Last Sun- 
day I heard a young preacher preach. I wrote most of it down. 
The Lord helped him so much. God's will is destined to be done. 
How very true this is. Let us be careful to have His will our will. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 85 

It is a beautiful morning, so cool and nice. It is about 5:30. I 
have lots of writing to do this morning. I have all my own, which 
is a good deal now-a-days, and business letters and a good deal of 
mother's. 

The anniversary of the Declaration of Independence has now 
passed. It hardly seems possible that time has flown so fast ; but 
the sun never stops for any one. It stood still once, but God bade 
it be still. 

God had His purpose in not permitting me to come to see you 
this summer. There was surely some reason. When you are having 
a hard time, just think of this verse, — 

" The thorns in our path are not sharper 
Than composed His crown for me. 
The cup that I drink, not more bitter, 
Than He drank in Gethscmane." 

I would not mind taking supper with you. I can only say God 
knows best where we should be, and when He sees fit to have 
me share your company, He will open up the way for me. " The 
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." There will be no more 
parting, sighing, crying, trouble, sickness, or anything of that kind 
when Jesus comes. Don't you think we ought to hold ourselves in 
readiness, and hail His coming, which will mean so much to saints 
and sinners ? as that will be the time they receive their rewards, 
whether they be good or evil. Let us ask ourselves this question 
quite often, "Am I ready ? " 

I remain as ever your loving sister. 

To My Dear Sister, for Her 20th Birthday, June 22, 1900: 

Just twenty years ago a child was born into the world so dark. 
Just twenty centuries ago a child was born into this world, but hark! 
Into better circumstances you say, 

Nay ! Verily, I say, 
No better circumstances. 

The one was born to grief and sorrow, lit up at times by some light 
ray; 



86 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

But list, the other was born to fill a different purpose: 

He died that men might live. 

The blessed Christ, whose cry was heard far o'er Judea's plains, 

He has gone to reign in heaven above, and intercedes for me 

Where men know no more pain. 

And while the other's left behind, 

Remember what He said : 

" I come again, and in my glory I sit down and crown the faithful 

For my own with an immortal crown; 

And if you to your trust be true, 

I'll claim you for mine own. 

Then, in a brighter world than this, 

Thou'lt forget all the past 

In all the wondrous mysteries of pleasure that shall last." 

This poem does not rhyme very well, but it has good sentiment, 
and you must take the will for the deed. Whenever you are lone- 
some, just think about your Elder Brother in heaven, and it will 
help you. God bless you for your great kindness to us. Be sure 
you are in the order of the Lord. I would like to send you a birth- 
day present. If I can I will subscribe for the Searchlight for you. 
I will send you a white temperance bow. Jesus saves and sanctifies 
me just now. Your sister, Bertha. 

I could not do justice to this dear girl and her devoted 
life by the short sketch that I am trying to get before the 
readers of this volume. She has much writing that will 
never go before the public, much laboring and praying with 
souls that will only be found in the books of God. I want 
to say that at this period, during the month of July, 1900, 
we went through deep waters, and this dear girl worked 
hard ; but her face was always bright and her heart full of 
praise to God. Her talk and writing to others was always 
full of encouragement to them, and not a word about 
her burdens, which she told alone to God. She was living 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 87 

for the good of others. If the young students were not 
getting along well, and were in any way discouraged, she 
would take them home with her, and would talk and pray 
with them, and they would go away cheered up. Her great 
love for souls, and her gentle way of dealing with them, 
won its way with everybody. Although every one would 
not be helped, she had the confidence and respect of all 
with whom she had to do. Letters from those to whom 
she had been a help have come to me saying her place could 
never be filled. 

July, 1900. 

My Dear Sister and Bbother : I went over to Sister 's this 

forenoon, and I am going to iron for Mrs. S this afternoon. I 

have ironed for her several times before. 

Bless God, it does not seem to me I ever was so glad that I am 
saved as I am now. God supplies all our needs according to His 
riches in glory by Christ Jesus, our Lord, and keeps us sweetly 
saved all the way. Jesus is the fairest of ten thousand to my soul, 
and the one altogether lovely. 

Well, bless God, don't be discouraged. The prospect is as bright 
as the promises of God. Do you believe it? It is true. I am sorry 
crops are in such poor condition ; but be encouraged, God will take 
care of you if you do His will. Hear what He says : " For the very 
hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of more 
value than many sparrows." Take all your financial troubles to 
God, who has said, " Casting all your care upon him, for he careth 
for you." You remember you have our sincere prayers. Every 
night before I lay down my head to rest, I get on my knees and 
pray to God for you and many others ; but best of all, Jesus never 
forgets us. He has said, " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto 
the end of the world," and He is interceding for us at the right 
hand of God. He has been interceding for us for two thousand 
years. Just think of it. When He was in the Garden of Geth- 
semane and on the cross He bore the sins of the whole world. If 
we would just think more of how much Jesus had done and given 



88 A YOUXG MISSIONARY 

up for us, it would make the cross easier to bear. We are continu- 
ally praying God to bless you. Keep looking to Him. He will carry 
you through if you have your trust in Him. 

I am sorry we could not send you a letter Monday, but we had 
no money to send it with. I am going to deliver some pictures to- 
day that I have enlarged, and we will send this letter in the morn- 
ing. I almost finished one yesterday, when I got tired ; I thought I 
would quit and rest awhile. They are both pictures of one woman, 
taken the day she was married, and she died less than a year ago. 

Well, camp-meeting is almost here. I expect we will have a 

very good meeting. C S , nominee for State Governor, will 

perhaps be here, and all the great holiness preachers ; and bless 
God, He will be here, and I tell you that is enough to shake this 
old town. It has been standing here ever since the Civil War, and 
perhaps a good while before. They put up their tents in the college 
yard and have the meetings in the chapel. 

I took those pictures home, and they liked them so well. O 
glory to God, He so wonderfully helped me with them. Truly 
there is not a friend like the lowly Jesus. 

Xow be sure and vote the Prohibition ticket. I can hear some 
birds twittering, and oh ! it is such a pretty morning. What a 
beautiful world this would be if it were not cursed by sin ; but 
bless God, we can go to heaven where there is no sin, if we are 
true and faithful. I hope this will find you well and happy. I am 
your, true sister to help lift up the fallen and fight the devil until I 
die. I am on my way to heaven with glory in my soul. 

Bertha. 

A letter to another friend : — 

My Dear C : "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at 

peace : thereby good shall come unto thee. Thou shalt also decree 
a thing, and it shall be established unto thee : and the light shall 
shine upon thy ways." Job 22:21, 28. Can you claim that promise? 
God's promises can never fail. I can assure you that I will pray 
God to direct and lead you concerning your marriage. Be careful 
that it is not some of the devil's traps to hinder you. It may not 
be; but keep looking to God, and ask His guidance. If you take 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 89 

Him for your guide, and do as He tells you to, you will never make 
a mistake. 

We got your letter to-night, and was glad to get it. I don't think 
you or I will ever forget the blessed times we have had in St. Louis. 
But it was not all sunshine. Many times we could not see our way 
through, but bless God, He brought us off more than conquerors. 

" Life with trials hard may press me ; 
'Twill but drive me to Thy breast. 

" The cross that He gave may be heavy, 
But it ne'er outweighs His grace; 
The storm that I feared may surround me, 
But it ne'er excludes His face. 

" The thorns in my path are not sharper 
Than composed His crown for me, 
The cup that I drink not more bitter 
Than He drank in Gethsemane. 

" Chorus : 

" The cross is not greater than His grace, 
The storm can not hide His blessed face; 

I am satisfied to know, 

That, with Jesus here below, 
I can conquer ev'ry foe with His grace." 

Thank God for that. I am sorry your sister Rosa is so sickly. 
I will remember you in my prayers. Hold on to God. He will de- 
liver if we " have faith in God." The Lord never has failed us, and 
we have no reason to believe He ever will. " God is our refuge and 
strength, a very present help in trouble." I am glad that " present " 
is in there, for if He could not help us now it would not do us much 
good. " ; 

" When you feel weakest, dangers surround, 
Subtle temptations, troubles abound; 



90 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Nothing seems hopeful, nothing seems glad, 
All is despairing, oftentimes sad. 

" If all were easy, if all were bright, 
Where would the cross be, where would the fight? 
But in the hardness God gives to you 
Chances of proving that you are true. 

" God is your wisdom ; God is your might ; 
God ever near you, guiding you right. 
He understands you; knows all your need; 
Trusting in Him, you'll surely succeed. 

" Let us press on, then ; never despair : 
Live above feeling ; victory's there. 
Jesus can keep us so near to Him 
That never more our faith shall grow dim. 

"Chorus: 

" Keep on believing, Jesus is near, 
Keep on believing, there's nothing to fear. 
Keep on believing, this is the way. 
Faith is the night as well as the day." 

Bless God that is true. 

Later. — Thursday I went out into the country and staid until 
Friday morning, as my friend had people there making hay. It is a 
nice country out there. It is again a beautiful evening, and the 
darkness of night is about to cover this part of the earth. But 
bless God, it is always light when He is with us. Oh, the joy and 
comfort there is in salvation ! I would not exchange the salvation 
of Jesus Christ for tens of thousands of worlds like this. What 
would I have done had I not had our Saviour and His promises to 
fall back upon? They say, "A friend in need is a friend indeed," 
and that is just what Jesus is. How comforting His words, " Lo, 
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." O C , 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 9 1 

be true to God, and don't let the devil tie you down. Be sure you 
are right, then go ahead. When we were thinking of coming here, 
and were praying for light and guidance, I claimed this promise, 
"And the light shall shine upon thy way ; " and when He says shall, 
He means it. Hold still, and let Him have a chance to let the light 
shine. Do not be in too big a hurry. Give God a chance to make 
known His will is all I can say about it. We are always glad to 
hear from you, so don't forget to write. God be with you. I am 
still on my way to heaven with glory in my soul. Bertha. 

My Precious Sister: Another day has been added to those that 
are in the past, and we are one day nearer our reward. It is now 
8:55 p. m. I will try to tell you what I have been doing since last 
time I wrote, which was Wednesday morning. Wednesday, I 
moved ; Thursday, I straightened up ; Friday, I ironed for Mrs. 

S from eight o'clock until five ; of course I had an hour at 

noon ; to-day, I ironed for ourselves. The Lord is wonderfully 
keeping up my health and strength. He is so good to me. I am 
still saved and sanctified. 

(A few days later.) I am not seeking a house on this earth, 
but a mansion not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, where 
moth and rust do not corrupt nor thieves break through and steal, 
reserved in heaven for me if I am true and faithful. I have been 
down to Sister 's to-day, ironing. 

Camp-meeting starts to-morrow night. They will put up the 
tents to-day. I have a picture of a little girl that I want to finish 
before the meeting. I am still on my way to glory, and expect to 
arrive there in due time, as my ticket is on the Celestial Railroad. 

If you want to read one of God's big promises, and want to have 
success, you will find the key to a good part of it in Isa. 58: 13, 14. 
That is a key to lots, and if persons are not afraid to risk God's 
words, which have stood six thousand years, they can try it and 
see. I believe it would work well. Those promises are just as good 
to-day as when written. Bertha. 

My Dear Brother and Sister : I will have to write to you to- 
day, as I will not have much time for writing Monday. I under- 



92 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

stand Brother \Y. B. Godbey will have a Bible reading this after- 
noon on " Hell," and I can not afford to miss it, so I will write as I 
get a chance and go to church. As quite a number of preachers 
were on the ground Wednesday night, they had a meeting. Brother 
Johnson preached. He also preached Thursday night. Yesterday 
morning Dr. Godbey preached, and had a Bible reading in the 
afternoon. Less than a year ago he came back from Palestine and 
over where Jesus traveled. He has been in Egypt, Rome, and Lon- 
don, and I guess almost all over. It is interesting to hear him talk. 
He said that while at Rome he was in the great amphitheater built 
by or for the emperors, and it was one hundred and sixty feet high. 
There was room in it for one hundred thousand spectators, and 
it was one thousand eight hundred feet in circumference. He said 
a voice could be heard anywhere in that immense amphitheater. 
He also said it would seem wonderful how the children of Israel 
coud hear each other the day that God commanded six of the tribes 
of Israel to stand on Mt. Gerizim (you will find it in Deuteronomy), 
and pronounce the blessings that would come to them if they obeyed 
Him, and the other six tribes stood on Mt. Ebal, and He pronounced 
the curses that would follow if they did not obey. He said it 
would seem wonderful how the people could hear them, as the two 
mountains are ten miles apart, and the people were told to say 
"Amen." He said it was a natural amphitheater, and the voice 
could be heard anywhere in that valley. It is wonderful, is it not? 

You remember how Nero commanded Paul to be beheaded, or 
all the Christians, I con't know which ; but anyway, Paul was be- 
headed, and it is said (Brother Godbey said we might take it for 
what it was worth) that when his head was cut off, it bounded 
three times, and each place where it touched the earth those three 
times a spring sprung up. W. B. Godbey said he drank out of each 
of them. He also went to Mount Vesuvius with some others, and 
they wound up the mountain until they had to stop ; and then they 
came to the awful crater, . which is about two hundred feet in 
diameter and about 300 feet deep; and while they were standing by 
the mouth of that awful crater, the earth just trembled, and every 
once in a while the fiery lake of lava would throw up some, and 
the smoke and ashes would cover their garments. As they looked 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 93 

down into the crater they could smell the brimstone and see the 
flames, and it looked just like the mouth of hell. He wished every 
unconverted person could just get a look into that crater. He said 
they were in danger all the time they stood there. He once went 
up a pyramid in Egypt, which covered thirteen acres, and was 550 
feet high, and three Arabs had to help him up. He has written a 
book, " Footprints of Jesus." It must be interesting, if it tells all 
he saw in his travels. 

I am still saved and sanctified. Yes, this is a world of parting, 
but I intend to go and spend an eternity in a world where partings 
are unknown and the word " farewell " is never spoken. 

Your sister for temperance, and to lift up the fallen, 

Bertha. 

Dear Brother : How would you like to meet the Judge of all 
the earth the next minute after you had cast your vote for a license 
party. May God help us to answer the question, or we will see it 
in the judgment. Yon talk about throwing away your vote like 
shooting up in the air when we want to hit ducks in the pond. 
Well, if it was shooting up in the air as you say, I would sooner do 
that than to hit a man that favored liquor license. Do you not 
know what the president showed himself to be by taking the side 
he took on the canteen question? O God keep the Christians at 
breast from upholding a man who will close his ears to the plead- 
ings of so many broken-hearted wives, mothers, and sisters. You 
might rather not vote than to vote to help the devil. It seems like 
the majority of professed Christians say as you do, " Oh, it is no 
use trying; we can not do it," when the God of the universe says, 
"Is there anything impossible with God?" I say, No. What do 
you say? Every time you vote for a license party, you put in a 
bid for your wife to be a mourning, sorrowful widow, and your 
children to fill drunkard's graves. O God, speed the time when 
all will vote as they pray. In the name of the only begotten Son 
of God, who died for you and me and all mankind, I beg of you 
that if you will not vote out and out for prohibition that you will 
not vote at all. We pass this way but once. Remember we can 
never recall yesterday's work. I am yours in the battle for God, 



94 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

temperance, and right. I expect to fight till I die. You are going to 
right with me for God, are you not? Yes, of course. Bertha. 

My Dear Sister C : I received your good letter a few days 

ago, but had no opportunity of writing until now. I am still pray- 
ing for you. God will answer prayer. I am glad Rosa is getting 
along so well. God bless you and keep you firm, is my prayer. 

Camp-meeting is going on. Thank God for victory through the 
blood of Jesus. I am so glad you are getting the burden of a lost 
world on you. Oh, that we all would get under the burden for 
the lost and perishing ones. We are nearing the end of time. Soon 
the angel will blow the trumpet, and announce in a voice like thunder 
that " time is no longer to be." 

" Then, oh ! what a weeping and wailing 

When the lost ones are told of their fate. 
They'll cry for the rocks and the mountains; 
They'll pray, but their prayers are too late." 

It seems to me that the most awful word man could imagine 
will be when we are weighed in the balance, God's word in one 
scale and we in the other, and it is said, " Weighed in the bal- 
ance, and found wanting." What would the pleasures of the world 
be to us then. All prophecies tend to the coming of Christ shortly. 
Nearly all the prophecies have been fulfilled, if not all. 

Last night we had such a good rain, and it seems to have cooled 
off the weather, which has been very warm. 

We are expecting victory in this camp-meeting. Several have 
been healed, and some sanctified. 

We received word a few days ago that Sister Smythe has gone 
to glory. Thank God, I believe she was ready. She was always very 
kind to me. I am glad she is now free from all pain. Hallelujah, 
we are coming after. W r e had a blessed meeting last night. Many 
were at the altar, and one boy especially got gloriously saved. Oh, 
it was blessed. It was n : oo p. m. when I got home from church. 

Bless God, take courage. 

Your true friend, saved and sanctified, 

Bertha. 




BESSIE, BERTHA'S, SISTER. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 97 

Dear Sister : Camp-meeting has now closed. Many of us will 
probably never meet again until we meet at the judgment bar of God 
The meeting was a wonderful success, and the Lord has shown 
His power. Surely He was here. I am so glad I am saved, and 
that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin, and that I 
am ready to meet God. Let us be true to God ; and when trials and 
temptations may oppress our pilgrim way, let us remember that the 
tnorns in our way are not sharper than composed His crown foi 
us, and that with Jesus here below we can conquer every foe. It is 
such a comfort to know that God is our refuge and strength, a ver\ 
present help in trouble. "' He will never leave us nor forsake us.'' 
With such a promise as this can we not dare to be true? I have 
complete victory in my soul, and I am going through in spite of all 
men, or devils in hell. 

School begins in a week from Monday. God be with you. 
Yours for the forsaken and cast down, 

Bertha. 

My Dear Sister: The most blessed camp-meeting that I have 
ever attended has now drawn to a close, and oh, how lonesome it is 
going to be when all the tents and every one has gone. W. B. God 
bey is a blessed man. He had to go to another camp-meeting Fri- 
day, but God stayed with us, and we had a blessed time. Saturday 
was temperance day. We had a splendid temperance meeting. Yes 
terday was a good day. They say this is the best camp-meeting 
they have had, and I believe it. It is voted back here again next 
year. Quite a number of people have fallen under the power of 
God during this meeting. One fell yesterday. I have thought of 
you many times during the meeting. 

I hope this will find you well and happy. I am going to heaven 
Meet me there. God be with you till we meet again. Bertha. 

My Dear C : We received your letter, and was glad to get it 

Thank God for victory. I was very glad to get your picture, and 
when I get mine taken, I will remember you. I am so glad to know 
you are keeping victory and do not get discouraged. I thank God 



98 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

there is notnmg discouraging about this battle, but rather encour- 
aging; but yet the devil would try to make us think there was. J 
am so glad we can have victory through the Saviour all the wa> 
through. I am so thankful that you are willing to let God have 
His way. That is the only kind of people God can do anything 
with. If we are determined and clamoring to have our own way 
God can not do anything with us, but if we are willing to do God's 
will, it will not be long until we find out what His will is. Jesus is 
a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, and He can fill ever) 
vacant place in your heart. 

I am so glad your mother is getting better. They had united 
prayer for her here in the sisters' meeting, and truly the " fervent 
effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much." God will heal 
His children when they cry to Him. I think these are some of the 
sweetest words of Jesus when He said, " Lo, I am with you alway 
even unto the end of the world." Be encouraged. I am saved and 
sanctified, and going to heaven. 

I here send you a temperance bow. You can do as you please 
about wearing it. I wear one. Bertha. 

Dear Friend : Ah, listen ! Every twenty-four hours America's 
homes are robbed of one hundred more girls to sustain social evil 
and six hundred boys ruined for every one hundred girls. Oh, can 
you afford to help on this infernal trade? When you go to the 
ballot-box, think of your wife and your sisters, and think you are 
helping down some other boy's sister and some other girl's brother, 
if you cast your vote for a license party. Can you afford to do it: 
What does God say about it? "Woe unto him that giveth his 
neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him." Please read Hab 
2:15-18. The saloon-keeper could not sell, if he did not have s 
license; and they could not get it, if they did not get it from the 
license party ; and the license party could not exist, if people did 
not vote for it. 

How awful it was for you to be prepared to kill any one. Flee 
to Jesus, and get that kill spirit taken out before it is too late tc 
save you from a murderer's hell ; for we know that no murderei 
hath any part in eternal life, unless they repent. I suppose you 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 99 

think I am severe, but it is because I love your soul that I say it. 
If I did not love you, what would I care where you landed? I 
hope you will take this friendly advice, and profit by it. 

Yours .to fight for temperance, against the whisky devil, and to 
help lift the fallen until I exchange the cross for the crown. 

Bertha. 

Fram her journal: — 

Amount spent each year : — 

Christian missions $ 5,500,000 

Ministers' salaries 12,000,000 

Publications 96,000,000 

Sugar and molasses 155,000,000 

Boots and shoes 197,000,000 

Meat 303,000,000 

Clothing 459,000,000 

Bread 505,000,000 

Tobacco 600,000,000 

Intoxicating liquors 940,000,000 

$455,000,000 more for tobacco than for bread. 

$637,000,000 more for liquor than for meat. 

$297,000,000 more for tobacco than for meat. 

$1,200,000,000 for drink, $20,000,000 every week. 

Some people say there is no use voting the Prohibition ticket — 
that your vote will be lost. Your vote will count in heaven, if cast 
right ; and it will count in hell, if you vote wrong. Every year sixty 
thousand boys ruined, and others have to take their places. 

Sept. 4, 1900. — We had a wonderful night last night. Glory and 
honor and majesty be to the Lamb that was slain to save fallen hu- 
manity. What I wanted to say last night was this, that God so 
wonderfully helped us through. We were almost running out of 
money again, and we did not know where it was coming from ; 
but God knew, and He sent us some. Truly, — 

lore. 



IOO A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

" Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus ; 
Just to take Him at His word; 
Just to rest upon His promise ; 

Just to know ' Thus saith the Lord.' " 

I intend to go through in spite of men or devils. 

My Precious Sister Alice : It has been raining this afternoon, 
and so it is quite cool. I expect to-morrow will be your last Sun- 
day at Sunnyside, and it has evidently not been God's will for us to 
spend it together, but I can say, " Blessed is the will of the Lord." 

I am the child of a King. The King of kings and Lord of lords, 
and a God that never lost a battle, is fighting my battles for me? 
Hallelujah ! There is a motto hanging above the table where I am 
writing that has on it, " He giveth more grace." How zrry true 
that it. I was more lonesome yesterday, I believe, than I have been 
for many a day, but I have gotten almost over it. 

We washed to-day, and just got our clothes out a little while 
before it started to rain. It is still cloudy, although it has stopped 
raining. 

When camp-meeting closed, I was not as lonesome as I thought I 
would be. Keep up a brave heart, dear girl. " God be with you 
till we meet again." God willing, we shall meet again to spend 
some more happy hours together. I am so glad that God with- 
holds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. I have not the 
slightest doubt but that if God had seen it was for my good to go 
up there this summer, He would have opened the way. I am not 
murmuring nor complaining at all, for I want God's will to be 
done ; yet my mind will wander back td old Sunnyside, and the road 
which we traveled so much together. Nearly every Sunday we 
would traverse the same old road, and in the cool of the evening 
when the golden sun was setting, and our minds from care were 
free, we so often would take a walk together, very often across the 
field which separated us. Yes, we can hardly help thinking of it; 
but though rivers and States divide us, there is a tie that binds our 
hearts in Christian love, and our hearts need not be separated. I 
hope this letter will not make you sad on account of references 
made to the old time. You remember the last look we had of 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN IOI 

Sunnyside together — one Thursday, when the iron horse pulled out 
of town, and took me along, and I have never seen you since. 

This town is very quiet, and that is what I like. I truly thank 
God for a quiet place to go to school and a good school to attend. 
I can remember when we used to play we were going off to school 
and the like.* We little knew that that would be a reality so soon. 

Life is reality, 
Life is no dream. 

We had a very good camp-meeting. I think it* was estimated 
that about one hundred got saved. 

H was over to see me. I think she is the nicest girl here. She 

reminds me so much of you. She holds her fingers so much like 

you when she plays the organ. About six o'clock H , M , 

and myself went to the graveyard. It was the first time I was ever 
in it. It is back of the college. Two of the tombstones especially 
impressed me. One of them had a gate on it. The gate was ajar, 
meaning, I suppose, the heavenly gate. The other one had some 
pretty buildings on it with these words, " In my Father's house 
are many mansions." Both of them made me think of my heavenly 
Father's mansions He has prepared for us if we are faithful. Have 
you been sick? I am sorry. I did not know it. God bless you, and 
make you strong again, is my prayer. You must take care of your 
health, and I beg of you as a sister interested in your welfare, to 
quit wearing corsets, and even corset waists. Please do not throw 
your health away. A waist such as I wear is enough to keep you 
in shape. God never made His work for man to mend; and al- 
though we should not go around looking slovenly nor distasteful on 
account of not having our clothes neat, we should not destroy the 
temple of the Holy Ghost ; which temple ye are, as the Bible 
affirms. 

I am saved, sanctified, and going to heaven in spite of the devil. 
I hope this will find you getting strong. As you study real hard, 
you need exercise. God bless you and give you what you need. 

Then be it thorns or flowers, dear friend, 
Thou wilt thereby be blessed indeed. 

Bertha. 



102 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Here is part of a letter written to Bertha by the author 
of " Methods and Results of Rescue Work " : — 

My Dear Little Sister: I can not find words to express the 
comfort and source of strength your precious letter has been to me. 
My heart is cheered as now and then I catch the sound of fresh 
young voices, full of consecrated missionary zeal, assuring me that 
as we who are made by physicial weakness to retire from the field, 
they are coming on with Victory written on their banners to fill 
their places leagues ahead of where we quit. All through your most 
interesting letter I felt the real missionary spirit. I firmly believe 
God had His brand on you for this special work, and I am praying 
that you may continue to grow in grace and knowledge of the 
truth. The world needs earnest, honest, clean, pure-hearted men 
and women to demonstrate that there is power in the blood to 
keep us unspotted from the world, to preserve us blameless, and 
present us faultless to the Father. I'd prize a photograph of your 
dear face very much. I am lovingly yours, 

Adda M. Flatbush. 

My Precious Sister Alice: Truly, — 

" God works in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform. 
He plants His footsteps on the sea, 
And rides upon the storm.'' 

It is a lovely morning." It is so still and calm. A holy stillness 
seems to rest on this part of the globe, but pretty soon people will 
be up and hustling about their work. I suppose this will mean 
another year of separation ; but bless God, we will meet pretty soon 
anyhow. 

This verse you sent me is surely true : — 

" There is room for my name in your memory, 
There is room, my love, in your heart, 
There is room for us both in heaven 
Where the blood-washed never part." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN I03 

Tell me all about your trip, and how you are getting along in 
your soul. God be with yon till we meet again. 

I think I shall take the following studies, — arithmetic, etymology, 
elocution, grammar, spelling, vocal music, and Bible study. 

I can see as distinctly as if it were before my eyes, the old school- 
house at Sunnyside, and where we used to sit by the window on 
the north side looking out over the golden grain growing in your 
held. When my mind wanders back there it runs back to the pleas- 
ant days instead of the sad ones, although some of the saddest days 
of my life have been spent there. Just a month and you will be 
sixteen. How time does fly. I will not be with you on your birth- 
day; but thank God, He will be there. 

Later. — School is now out, and it is a beautiful evening. The 
golden sun will soon be set, and we know not whether we shall ever 
see it rise again ; but thank God, I know I am ready for heaven if 
this were my last night on earth. 

The college looks very nice from here. It is only about a hun- 
dred feet from here. The birds are twittering. What a beautiful 
world were it not cursed by sin. I will say that the prospects are 
as bright as the promises of God. I have heard it said that this life 
would not be worth the living were it not for the trials and dis- 
appointments in it. We need them to keep us humble and close to 
Christ. Keep true to God. Jesus says, " Hold the fort, for I am 
coming." Hallelujah, He is coming, and will bring His reward 
with Him. Will we the crowning share? By God's grace I will. 
We have everything to encourage us. I am learning as never before 
what it means to trust God. O how He does supply our needs, and 
never leaves us when we are in trouble. It is wonderful ! 

I can say that God pardons all my sins, and the blood of Jesus 
Christ His Son cleanseth me from all sin, and the very God of 
peace sanctifies me wholly. Help me pray for temperance and dis- 
tressed sisters. Your true sister, for God, home, and native land, 

Bertha. 

My Precious Sister and Brother: I am saved and sanctified. I 
beg of you, with all my heart, to please vote for prohibition. You 
will have to answer for it. I wish God to bless you, from the bot- 



104 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

torn of my heart. Let God have His way with yon. I am your true 
sister to work for temperance, to lift up the fallen, and be true to 
Jesus until I shall have laid down the cross to receive a crown, 
and I go walking up the golden street. 

We have a girl sixteen years old. She ran away from home. Her 
father is a drunkard, and abused her terribly. Her mother has been 
dead six years. We felt that we ought to take her. She came here, 
and was converted at the camp-meeting. I saw her a few days after, 
and she felt so discouraged that I took her home with me, and 
talked and prayed with her. We felt we ought to take her here to 
save her from the devil. She had an awful will, but God has done 
wonderful things for her since she came. She is saved and sancti- 
fied, and says God has called her to work for Him. The other day 
she came in where I was, laughing, she was so blest. She said God 
told her to burn her corsets and beauty pins, and they were in 
the stove burning now. She knew that her corset was hurting her, 
and she wanted to glorify God in all things. O praise the Lord, 
we do have some wonderful blessings and victories together. The 
other night we had almost a Pentecost ; and as I was singing 
" Walking Up the Golden Street," she kept getting happier and 
happier. I was pretty happy myself. 

Now, dear brother, please do not vote for the devil. Every 
Christian is a Prohibitionist. I am going to pray, pray, pray for 
temperance, and fight the devil as long as I live. God be with you. 

Bertha. 

My Dear Brother and Sister: I am so glad to hear that you 
are a Prohibitionist from top to bottom, and that you are going to 
vote for God and right. God bless you. 

You know there are coal mines not far from here, and that 
mining is quite dangerous.' Once in a while some get hurt or killed. 
A man, who had a wife and four children, went to work this morn- 
ing for the last time. He was brought back a corpse. At four 
o'clock in the afternoon a stone fell on him and smashed him, and 
ended his existence in this world. They live just a little way from 
here. I heard that he had once been a Christian, and had told some 
one that he intended to get saved again. Truly they that are often 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 1 05 

reproved, and harden their necks, shall suddenly come to destruc- 
tion, and that without remedy. God can not lie, and He has just 
fulfilled His words when He says, " Seek ye the Lord while He 
may be found." That suggests there is a time when He is not 
found. If this man waited for death-bed repentance, he never got it. 
I understand he only lived a few minutes. Oh, how heart-rending it 
was to hear the screams of his poor wife and children. I hope it 
will be the means of leading them to the Lamb of God who taketh 
away the sins of the world. Conviction was depicted on many a 
brow. I know that sudden death with me would be sudden glory. 

" There is a time, we know not when, 
A point, we know not where, 
That marks the destiny of men, 
To glory or despair. 

" There is a line, by us unseen, 
That crosses every path ; 
The hidden boundary between 
God's patience and His wrath. 

" O where is this mysterious bourne, 
By which our path is crossed, 
Beyond which God Himself hath sworn 
That he who goes is ' Lost ' ? 

(Lost! ' Forever lost! Lost through the ceaseless ages of eter- 
nity! Lost! Lost!) 

"How far may we go on in sin? 
How long will God forbear? 
Where does hope end? and where begin 
The confines of despair? 

" An answer from the skies is sent : 
' Ye that from God depart ! 
While it is called to-day, repent, 
And harden not your heart.' " 

Your loving sister, Bertha. 



Io6 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Journal, Sept. 17, 1900. — Last Sabbath I helped some with the 
meeting. I read Exodus 14. I believe God blessed what I said to 

some one. I am sure it did me good ; as I told , there was a 

good atmosphere up around the pulpit. I can say I am saved and 
sanctified just now, and ready for heaven. Amen. 

Sept. 18, 1900. — Another school-day has passed into eternity. I 
am still on foot for glory, saved and sanctified. 

Sept. 22, 1900. — Another school-week has passed and gone. I 
think it was the most profitable of my life so far. First, God has 
helped me so wonderfully with my lessons all the week. He has 
helped me to get and remember. Second, God wonderfuJly helped 
me Sunday morning and gave me liberty. Third, God wonderfully 

helped me and gave me a chance to speak to Mrs. S (whose 

husband was . killed a short time ago) about salvation. She was 
standing in the door as I was coming along the street, and oh ! 
she had such a sad face. Woe, sorrow, and anguish were surely 
depicted there. I spoke kindly to her, and told her I sympathized 
with her; but Jesus, who alone knows all, is the only one that can 
comfort us. I asked her if she knew she was saved. She said, 
" No, Bertha, I do not, but I want to be." I went with her into 
the house, and knelt down beside her. She was greatly moved upon, 
and the oldest girl, who was kneeling by me, cried as if her heart 

would break. I asked Mrs. S if she would get saved, and she 

said she would try. I told her I would pray for her, and on coming 
home we went on our knees, and besought God for help and salva- 
tion, for that poor soul, and we felt that God heard our prayers. 

I felt last Wednesday night like I ought to lead chapel service 
Thursday morning. I told the Lord if He wanted me to do so, He 
could make the Professor ask me ; and sure enOugh, after we got to 
the chapel, he handed me a Bible, and told me to read. Thanks be 
to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

He also helped me to help out. She felt she ought to pray, but 

the devil was so hard on her that she could not. So this week has 
been one of victory. I am saved, sanctified, and intend to be true. 
God also helped me to write my testimony for the " Good Way." 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 107 

Later. — Honor, glory, and majesty to the Lamb that was slain 
forever and ever. Well, we started in school work again Monday 
morning with new vigor and determination to go through for 
God. 

We were out to B the other night, and had prayer-meeting 

with the children. We had been there several times before. 
There is a wonderful opening here in College Mound for young 
workers. I would encourage all to come who possibly can. Pray 
God to get the hindrances out of the way. He can do it. The devil 
will probably, try to keep many away who should be here. 

She wrote the following about a trip to Macon City : — 

MISSION WORK. 

Hallelujah to our God, who giveth us the victory through our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

I will now tell of our missionary trip to Macon City. Sister 

L , Sister A , Brother W , and I started from College 

Mound about ten o'clock, and although the road was very muddy, 

we got there in good time. While Brother W was caring for 

the team, the rest of us, after inquiring the way to the jail, went 
and made an appointment for the next day. When we were in- 
formed that a number of the prisoners were to be taken to the 
penitentiary on the following Monday, we then understood why 
we were so strongly impressed to come, notwithstanding the many 
seeming hindrances in our way. 

We then rejoined Brother W at Brother B 's, and at 

about seven o'clock, after a season of prayer to God for help, we 
started on our mission to the saloons. Our first visit was to the 

one in which a man was killed just recently. Sister L asked 

permission of the bar-tender, who said that he had no objection to 
our holding services, provided the policemen did not interfere. So 
we went ahead, sang some appropriate songs, and had prayer ; 

after which we each spoke alternately. Brother W told them 

of his wonderful deliverance from the liquor habit. Sister L 

gave an appropriate talk. Then Sister A talked to them about 

the effect of alcohol on the human system. After we had sung " In 



I08 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

an Army Barrack," and a few other selections, I felt impressed to 
say a few words. In my remarks I incidentally referred to the man 
being killed, very unconscious of the fact that the bar-tender — a 
fine-looking young man — was the murderer, and at that time had 
a pistol lying on the shelf behind him. We then sang, " Don't sell 
him another drink, please," after which the bar-tender seemed very 
uneasy. After we had been there about an hour, we went to an- 
other saloon, and were followed by a greater part of the boys who 
were in the first saloon. 

The next saloon we entered was quite full. Sister L again 

asked permission to hold services, which was granted. We began 
singing, and God wonderfully anointed us, and our singing had 
its effect. Very few drank while we were there, except a few old 
men, who evidently did it to throw off conviction. In this saloon 
one old man, — a Catholic, — who evidently was nearly drunk, be- 
came so enraged that he acted like he intended to fight Brother 

W ; but the others quieted him, and before we left, he took up 

a collection for us, which was accepted only because we knew if we 
did not, it would most probably be spent for liquor. One man said 

to Brother W , " Here is the last dime I have on earth ; I'll give 

it to you instead of spending it for drink. I intend never to touch 
another glass." Brother W said, " You will never go into an- 
other saloon?" "No, I never will," he answered, and he seemed 
very much troubled. After spending about an hour there we re- 
turned to Brother B 's, where we staid overnight. We awoke 

the next morning to behold a most beautiful day, from which we 
received a new inspiration, feeling that God had given it to us that 
we might better glorify Him. 

The devil tried to hinder Sister A 's usefulness, but God 

wonderfully came to our rescue by relieving her of the affection 
of the lungs which rendered it difficult for her to sing, or even 
to breathe; so we went on our way rejoicing. 

At ten in the morning we went to the jail, accompanied by 

Brother and Sister B , taking some papers to give to the 

prisoners. The deputy-sheriff opened the great heavy door that, as 
it were, barred out all liberty and sunshine from the lives in which 
the Sun of Righteousness had not risen. This was our first visit to 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 109 

a place like this. As we entered, we said, " Good morning, boys," 
to which a number of them responded. We then sang, " There's 
not a friend like the lowly Jesus," and after Scripture reading and 

a touching exhortation by Brother W , we had an altar service. 

Four came to the altar, and the others seemed deeply affected. 
Two or three of those who came to the altar claimed pardon. 

Brother W was truly anointed of God, and he walked in among 

the prisoners as fearlessly as if they had never committed a 

crime. Brother B broke down, and wept ; he said he had 

rather be there than in the finest church in the city. He gave them 
some fatherly advice. In Miss A 's talk she referred to card- 
playing, portraying the evils it led to, and asked if any one objected 
to her burning a deck of cards which we had noticed lying in the 
window. One man exclaimed, " Yes, burn them," with such earnest- 
ness that they all seemed willing except one man, who objected. The 
cards were not burned, but I am sure that what she said did good. 
We then sang appropriate songs, such as, " Your mother still prays 
for you, Jack," " Search for my wayward wandering boy," etc. 
After singing " God be with you till we meet again," we shook 
hands with them, and bade them good-by, never to meet again, in 
all probability, until we meet at the judgment, where we shall have 
to give an account of how we have lived, and how we have im- 
proved our opportunities for doing good. We are sure our meet- 
ing did good ; how much, we will never know until the books are 
opened. Bertha. 

Journal, September, 1900. — I received word Saturday that I 
had a baby niece. God bless her, and make her a soul-winner, is my 
prayer. 

Dear Sister, Brother, and Precious Niece: Yesterday was just 
a beautiful day, seemed so much like spring. I have a picture to 
make to-day. I have done a little on it, but not much. I got tired, 
and quit. When a person gets tired working on a picture, she 
ought by all means to quit, if she don't want to spoil the picture. 

Praise Jesus, He is pleading our case, and God says He will 
avenge his own elect that cry unto Him night and day. Yes, He 



110 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

will avenge thee speedily, and I believe it, for we have a friend 
that it always closest when we need him the most. God bless you 
I am saved, sanctified, and on my way to heaven with the glory 
in my soul. I am for temperance, education, and the building up 
of God's kingdom in the earth. 

Thank God, my brother, that you are a Prohibitionist, and that 
you are not voting for a party that would just as soon put that 
precious girl of yours in a brothel as not. I hope you will bf 
good parents to her. God bless her, and may she- help me in nii 
work "for temperance and right. You will have to move down here 
now, sure, to give your girl an education in a holiness school. Just 
think ! A precious life has been entrusted to your care. You need 
sanctification now more than you ever did before, to raise that 
child for heaven. I will send her a temperance bow. Have you! 
picture taken with her as soon as you can, and be sure to have 
the temperance bow on her. Now please dress her for God. You 
are in a very responsible place. May God give you wisdom tc 
train her for a life of usefulness. 

My studies are pressing. I must close, and go to my lessons. 

" God be with you till we meet again, 

By His counsels guide, uphold you, 

With His sheep securely fold you; 

God be with you till we meet again." 

Your loving sister, Bertha. 

I hav.e just been out to pray, and got blessed. I have glorious 
news to tell. Victory ! I am going through with Jesus. 

Yours to be true till I die, Bertha. 

My Dear Sister and Brother: I just came home from' Brother 

's. We went out there before dark to have a prayer-meeting 

with the girls. We held our meeting rather long. It got dark and 
began to rain, and we had quite a time getting home. Glad you 
are getting along so well. 1 would be glad if baby had all your per 
fections and none of your imperfections. She is going to be God's 
woman to work for Him, and probably help me in my work. 




BERTHA'S MOTHER, 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 113 

God has wonderfully looked out for us, and He will continue to 
do so. Be true to God. I like College Mound very much because 
of the school. It would not be much of a place were it not for the 
college. 

Later. — It is just a beautiful day. It makes me lonely for the 
days my sister and I spent together, and when she was in St. 
Louis, and we took our trip to Shaw's Garden ; but we do not live 
to please ourselves. There will be a grand reunion some day. 
Hallelujah! If we are faithful, we will have the privilege of going 
to a place where there is no more parting and the word " farewell '' 
is never spoken. I have had some blessed times here, and I get 
lonesome only once in a while. I suppose you remember when we 
all went to Union Market, and all the bananas we had. I am not 
thinking so much about the bananas as of the rest. I remembei 
the last time we walked down. Jefferson Avenue together, and we 
took you to the depot the last time. O how I prayed that night 
after we got home. We went into the meeting, and after it was 
out Charles was sitting on the steps that go up-stairs. He said it 
seemed pretty hard to part with you. 

Your loving sister, saved and sanctified, Bertha. 

My Precious Sister Alice: Oh, it is such a beautiful morning 
I have just been having a good time praying, and got blest. Halle 
lujah ! I am going through with Jesus, and be true till I die. God 
bless you. It seems I can read the very nobleness of your char- 
acter as I gaze into the depths of those blue eyes of yours; but 
remember, all the nobleness of us is all of grace, and nothing we 
can boast of, and it will only continue to be true nobleness as long 
as you use it in God's service and for Him. 

I have lots of studies, and it keeps me pretty busy. I have no 
time to waste, but the time I write I do not call wasted. 

God's richest blessing go with you through life, and keep you 
safe from harm is my prayer. 

May He, who clothes the lilies, 

And heeds the sparrow's fall, 
Guide and protect you, Alice, 

And keep you safe from all. 



114 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

1 am going to be true to God till I lay down the cross to wear 
the crown, and this mortality takes on immortality. Be true to God 
in everything. It pays. Bertha. 

My Dear Sister Alice: It is a beautiful day after school, and 
it reminds me so much of the many evenings we walked home 
irom the Sunnyside school. 

Do be true to God. If we are faithful, we will go to a place 
where partings are not known and farewells never spoken. Won't 
that be blessed? I feel as Frances Willard said, "Life is a frail 
canoe on the boisterous sea of life — but God will carry us through." 
Although I miss you very much, yet 1 would not be in any other 
place than where I am, because I know God wants me here, and He 
truly fills every longing of my heart. Hallelujah. The trials of the 
road will seem nothing when we get to the end of the way. When- 
ever I get lonesome, it draws me nearer to that blessed Lamb who 
will take all the faithful to a land where parting is not known, and 
it draws my thoughts heavenward. 

1 am getting along very well with my studies." God wonderfully 
helps me. To-night is prayer-meeting night, so I must close and 
study. 

God be with you till we meet again. Your own loving sister, to 
be true till I shall leave this world, and go to my Father, to go no 
more out forever. Hallelujah! I have the genuine religion. 

Bertha. 

October, 1900. 
My Precious Sister : To-day has been a very busy one to me. 
but I feel that God has been with me, and to-night I am resting safe 
in the arms of Jesus. Many things have happened since we parted 
God has been with me and directed me. Bless God, it is all right 
Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go. When I was in St. Louis 
in the missionary home, I remember so often when I would lay 
down on my cot by the south window, looking out on Randolph 
Street, that I would sing — 

" Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep, 
When the darkening shadows round about me creep, 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 115 

Knowing I shall waken never more to roam, 
Anywhere with Jesus will be Home, Sweet Home." 

And I felt it all through me. I would be so happy. I had no 
home, and owned nothing in this world; but thanks be to God, I 
was an heir to a mansion, a robe, and a crown. I had a heavenly 
Father who owned all the money in the universe and the cattle on 
a thousand hills, and I was serving under a General who never lost 
a battle, and He would not lose mine. Jesus is pleading my case. 
It is wonderful how contented the Lord helps me to be. He has 
been so good to me. When I feel burdened and go- to God in 
prayer, I feel such a sweet peace in my soul ; and I know that 
while we may be misunderstood and misjudged in this world at 
times, yet I feel so restful, knowing that a just court is soon going 
to set in heaven and justice given. Sometimes we can not under- 
stand why it is that we have to go through certain trials here, but 
sometime we will know. Bless God, this expresses it all : — 

" When the last feeble step has been taken, 

And the gates of that city appear, 
And the beautiful songs of the angels 

Float out on my listening ear ; 
When all that now seems so mysterious 

Shall be bright and as clear as the day, 
Then the toil of the road will seem nothing, 

When we get to the end of the way.'' 

That is true. Do be true. Sometime we will understand, if we do 
not now. God knows our future, we do not ; therefore it is best to 
follow Him. I am saved, sanctified, and ready to meet God, thanks 
be to Him. Amen. Good-by, Bertha. 

Dear Sister Alice : It is again almost night, and I have some 
studying to do, and prayer-meeting, too, to-night. Some people fool 
away their time — " killing time," as they say ; but I tell you we 
pass this way but once, and we have no time to fool away. 

I suppose you are a Prohibitionist from head to foot. Jesus 
was. It is a beautiful evening; just like we used to spend together. 



Il6 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Well, bless God, it is all right. If it is God's will we shall meet 
again in His own time. Yes, I will pray for you. It pays every 
time to be true to God. When He said, " My grace is sufficient for 
thee," He meant it, and it is true. I know God can deliver at all 
times. Have faith in God. "As thy day is, so shall thy strength be." 
I have still got full and free salvation from all sin, and the blood of 
Jesus cleanses me from all sin, and the very God of peace sanctifies 
me wholly. 

Later. — I am very busy this morning. It is beautiful, but quite 
cold. Last night we had such a good prayer-meeting at the chapel. 
This college is undenominational. It is a holiness college. It is 
run according to its name, too. I must now go to my lessons, I 
can not neglect them. God bless, shield, and protect you and be 
with you. I am always glad to hear from you. You still have a 
place in my affection. I am saved and sanctified. 

Your loving sister, Bertha. 

My Dear Brother and Sister: Hallelujah to our God, who 
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Honor, glory, 
and majesty to the Lamb that was slain, forever and ever. We were 

out to Brother 's, and had prayer-meeting with the children 

the other night again. 

I am saved, sanctified, and have a conscious knowledge that I 
am ready to meet God. Never allow yourselves to go to bed unless 
you know without a doubt that you are ready to meet God at any 
moment. Thank God, I belong to Him. The toil of the road will 
seem nothing when we get to the end of the way. He loves us too 
well to forsake us, or give us a trial too much. All his people have 
been dearly purchased. 

We have prayer-meeting every Friday afternoon in the Pro- 
fessor's room, for the students. We have such good meetings. 
The Lord is wonderfully helping me with my studies. We go to 
school at 8:30 a. m.; and come home at noon; back at 1:00 p. m., 
and home again at 4:30 p. m. We have chapel service in the 
morning until 9:00 a. m. Then we recite every half hour in the 
day except two, making one hour that we do not recite. We have 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 1 17 

Bible study that one hour, so you see we have not much time to 
prepare lessons in school. We do nearly all our studying outside. 

I got a quotation from Charles. It reads like this, " There are 
two sides to a person's reputation, the true and the false. The 
only thing that causes us to feel embarrassed for a moment is when 
we are introduced to a person, and he says, ' Yes, I have heard of 
you.' The first thought that arises is, Which side have you heard?" 

Well, hallelujah ! I have the genuine religion. It is the only 
kind worth having. We do not forget to pray for you. Do not 
get discouraged. I never forget you, even if you do get a short 
letter sometimes. Remember they carry as much love as a com- 
mon letter ever carried. God bless you. This morning I felt quite 
burdened for you, and it has not all left me yet. You are depriving 
yourselves of the highest joy when you have not this full salvation. 
All I can do is to pray, and I intend to pray more than I have been 
doing. It is said that John Knox prayed Queen Mary off the 
throne of England, and I am going to endeavor to pray something 
down. It pays to serve Jesus. I speak from the heart. O that I 
could show you your awful danger, but I do not expect I can. It 
takes God to do that. I am on the go-through line, and am pray- 
ing for you, and Jesus is, too. 

Your sister, to be true to God till He says, " It is enough, come 
up higher." Bertha. 

My Dear Brother: As I said before, I have not forgotten to 
pray for you, but it seems to me that you persist in having your 
own way, and not submitting to God. You know what His require- 
ments are. I am not alluding to any special work, but God has 
called you to holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 
If this moment you were to be ushered into the immediate presence 
of a just God, who has said, "Be ye holy: even as I the Lord your 
God am holy," what excuse would you give for not having the 
preparation He requires? You know too well that you could not 
give Him excuses as you give now. O do listen, and heed before 
it is too late. 

" There is a line, by us unseen, 
That crosses every path. 



Il8 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

A hidden boundary between 

God's patience and His wrath. 
Oh, where is that mysterious bourne, 

By which our path is crossed, 
Beyond which God Himself hath sworn, 

That he who goes is lost !" 

You know only too well that God is warning you. When I 
pray for you, I seem to get an evidence that you will some day 
get where you will obey God ; yet at the same time I have the feel- 
ing that unless you will yield to Him while He is gently calling, 
that He will use stronger means ; and I fear that whatever it means, 
it will mean a great deal to you. I have felt this, and I have said 
very little about it ; but I have felt it my duty, for it says in Ezek. 
3: 17 that God has appointed us watchmen, and that if we do not 
warn people, and they die in their sins, their blood will be required 
at our hands. I intend to do my duty to you whether it hurts or 
not. Will you take warning while God is tenderly calling, or will 
you wait until God starts to pour out His judgments upon you? 
Why not yield to God now, and avoid the wrath of a justly angry 
God? You know what I have been telling you is true. Would 
God I could show you your danger as it is. " They that being often 
reproved, hardeneth their necks, shall suddenly- come to destruction, 
and that without remedy." Prov. 29:1. "Heaven and earth shall 
pass, but not one jot or title shall pass from the law till all be ful- 
filled." God bless you, and may you see your danger, and get out 
of it. 

Even if we did have a hard time in this world serving Jesus, — 
which is not the case, as Jesus helps us, — it would be much better 
than having a good time here, which the world does not have, and 
spending an eternity of woe. I would sooner take my hard times in 
this world. What would forty years of hardships, or even one 
hundred, count in this world to 1,000,000,000,000 years in hell; and 
then eternity will still be no days less. You may think I am over- 
drawing this picture, and am just excited; but that is not so. These 
are facts which can only be avoided by doing your duty. 

Bertha. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN I19 

■My Precious Brother and Sister: To-day is Saturday, and 
Charles is out cutting wood. He is fat and rosy. I guess I am 
what you call rosy, too. Professor is our Bible-class teacher, and 
he says people ought to be sort of reddish ; that was the way God 
made man. And I say they squeeze all the pink out of their faces. 
No wonder they are so white. They soon get their livers out of 
order, and then turn dark. 

I have been over sweeping the chapel, as Charles was not here 

to do it. Brother E came a few minutes ago, and gave us a 

sack of potatoes. God bless him. He is a temperance boy, and says 
he is going to vote for Prohibition. There was a man here for 
dinner to-day. He was a preacher. I asked him if he was 
going to vote for prohibition. He said, " Yes," and I had him 
promise that he would stir up his members to vote for temperance. 
I bless God, I know He is going to carry us through. Do all you 
can to influence others to vote for prohibition. 

I've still a through ticket to the pearly gates, and a title clear 
to a mansion in the skies. Hallelujah! I am the child of a King. 
Be true to God. God bless you, and be with you till we meet again. 

Your loving sister, to fight for truth and right till I die, 

Bertha. 

My Dear Brother axd Sister : I well remember when I left you, 
and I was waiting in the depot at Omaha for the train. How many 
things have happened since then. It is wonderful. 

" God works in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform." 

Charles and I had such a nice trip. That same Thursday night 
that we left you at about 12 : 00 o'clock, we were crossing the Mis- 
souri, and we could see the fair grounds in Omaha all lighted up. 
It looked so pretty. The next afternoon about 3 : 00 o'clock we 
boarded the Pacific Railway car, and went puffing toward St. Louis. 
I did enjoy it so much. I remember as distinctly as ever the next 
morning we entered the suburbs of St. Louis, and I was wondering, 
you know just like a person will, about things. Then I remember 
when we came to the missionary home that Brother was the 



120 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

first one I saw. I have had such good times in St. Louis sometimes. 
We had such nice weather while I was there. One night when 
Charles and I were going to the Mission (the main streets in large 
cities are very crowded, and you meet a great many), we made up 
between ourselves to notice how many among those we met would 
be talking about what some one else had said and what they had 
said, and every one we met were, except two or three. So you 
see that is the train of thought and conversation. I well remember 
the last few days we spent in St. Louis. Saturday we went down 
to Carondelet and stayed until Monday. We went down to the 
park that afternoon. When we came back, we received fifteen 
dollars in the mail. We then went to work, and got ready to come 
to College Mound. Monday night Charles and I walked up Jef- 
ferson Avenue for the last time. The next morning Brother T 

took us to the depot, and by ten o'clock we were making for 
Moberly. where we changed cars for Excello. We reached College 
Mound about eleven o'clock Tuesday night. I don't think I shall 
ever forget old St. Louis times. God has so wonderfully shielded 
and protected us. 

" When the last feeble step has been taken, 

And the gates of that city appear, 
And the beautiful songs of the angels 

Float out on my listening ear; 
When all that now seems so mysterious, 

Shall be bright and as clear as the day; 
Then the toils of the road will seem nothing, 

When we get to the end of the way." 

Every word of this is true. Some day we will understand. 

Charles is chopping wood, and I am going to help clean the col- 
lege library. Bless God, I know this past year has been the best 
one of my life. I have grown in grace. I am sure I have. I am 
saved, sanctified, satisfied with the way, and on the march for glory. 
I intend to be true every step of the way. Be true to God and He 
will be with you. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a 
brother. Many of those I know have gone to the realms of an un- 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 121 

known world. I expect to meet live of these. They were dear 
friends to me. God knows what He took them for, whether we 
do or not. I am so glad I am ready to meet God now. How is it 
with you? Do you know the same? It is your privilege. Men 
nor devils can not cheat us out of heaven, but we can keep ourselves 
out if we choose. I propose, for one, to spend an eternity in the 
realms of eternal bliss. Oh, I would not give up the joy and peace 
in knowing that I am ready to meet God for a thousand worlds 
like this. But still we may sell our souls for nothing, and that is 
what thousands of people are doing to-day, and they are slipping 
into hell. 

The Lord is wonderfully helping me in my studies, and I am so 
thankful for that. 

Is that really true about ? Well, I tell you the devil is 

getting hundreds of them all the time. It is terrible, and people 
go along the street hallooing, " Hurrah for McKinley ! " and I read 
in a temperance piece the other day that Congress passed a law 
forbidding the army canteen, and McKinley vetoed it ; and ever 
since then, in spite of petitions and everything else, this man, that 
some people call Christian and noble, has had the power to do away 
with the army canteen, and he did not do it. Is not that an awful 
shame? I must close. Be sure you are ready to meet a just God. 
Your loving sister, Bertha. 

My Precious Alice: To tell you the truth, I do get lonesome 
sometimes to see you, but there are some things that man must en- 
dure, and I guess that is one of them. Well, bless' God, I'll get to 
see you in His own time. Be true to God, and stick up for what 
is right. W T e used to talk about getting our education together. I 
don't expect that will ever happen, unless you should come down 
here to go to school ; but we can all make our lives a success if 
we will, and I intend so to make mine. Use your influence for 
temperance. Do your duty at all costs. Heaven is cheap at any 
price. God bless you, and may you be instrumental in saving many 
souls. To-morrow is election. God has. some faithful servants who 
will vote for God and home and native land. God will reward them. 
There is nothing truly noble or heroic unless it is right. May God's 



122 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

richest blessings rest upon you, is my prayer. You will never come 
to such a hard place but that Jesus can take you through. Always 
remember the devil is mighty, but God is Almighty; and He has 
promised to be with us always, even unto the end of the world. 
Amen. Glory to our God. He saves, sanctities, and fits me for glory 
just now. It never pays to give up. 

" We pass this way but once. 
The ripened harvest white 
Has waited long the victors' song; 
Thrust in thy sickle bright. 

" We pass this way but once. 

There's work divine for thee: 
On every hand, the needy stand, 
And sigh for sympathy. 

" We pass this way but once. 
Wage well thy warfare now, 
Beyond the strife, bright crowns of life 
Await the victor's brow. 

" We pass this way but once. 

Where saints and heroes trod, 
Through toil and pain, at last to gain 
The paradise of God." 

That is very true. What we do must be done quickly, for the 
time cometh. yea. is even at the door, when we can not work. A 
few more years and we will be ushered into the presence of our 
Lord. WilL we meet Him with joy. or will we. hide from His 
blessed face? As for us, we purpose to sing the praises of God 
around the great white throne where there are no more heart-aches 
and no more troubles and pains, and where we shall go out no 
more forever, and where the word " farewell " is never spoken. 
There shall be no more sorrow nor trouble, neither weeping; for 
Jesus will wipe away all tears from our eyes. Is not that blessed? 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 123 

Who would not want to spend such an eternity of bliss? But I 
fear there are many who are dreaming of heaven who will never 
see the inside of that pearly city whose builder and maker is God; 
for He has said, Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, 
shall enter into heaven, but they that do God's will, and it means 
more to do it than just the" mere say so. "If ye suffer with me, ye 
shall also reign with me." Jesus is going to have a bright and 
glorious bride without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. This 
world is not a place for us to fool away and kill time, as the saying 
is, but it is a place for us to get ready for a never-ending eternity 
Oh Alice, just one hour spent inside the pearly gates will amply re 
pay us for all we have to undergo in this life. We shall have to give 
an account of every vain and idle word we speak, so let us bf 
watchful. If you should gain an entrance into that beautiful citj 
before I do, look out for me, for I am coming, too. Oh, it will be 
wonderful when we shall meet Jesus, if we are able to look intc 
the face of Him who paid the debt on Calvary, and say, " I have 
suffered with Thee, now I come to reign with Thee, and here are 
the sheaves I bring with me ; " and He will look at us and smile : 
and say, "Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been 
faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things' 
enter thou into the joy of thy lord." Then we shall sing the songs 
of Moses and the Lamb through the ceaseless ages of eternity, and 
we shall wave our palms of victory, and play our harps,, and sing. 
"Glory! Glory and honor and majesty to the Lamb who was 
slain, but who liveth again, and shall live forevermore." Oh Alice, 
with such prospects before us, can we not afford to go through 3 
few trials here on earth? Oh, the inexhaustible love and mercy of 
God, who permitted His blessed Son to come and die that we 
might live. Oh, that we would be more thankful. There is a day 
when everything that is now so mysterious will be bright and a? 
clear as the day. By and by we shall know. There is a court going 
to set one of these days, and the chief executive judge will be 
Christ, and He is the one who will give justice. All wrongs will 
then be righted. As for me and myself, I can say that I am going 
to make my home in heaven, and take all I can along with me. I 
know that means a good deal, but still there is nothing impos 



124 . A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

sible with God. If we are only true and faithful, we will get out 
of this cold and unfriendly world where we shall have no more 
heartaches and pains, and where we won't be troubled with the prob- 
lems of this life. Hallelujah! "To him that overcometh will I 
grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and 
am set down with my Father in his throne." Blessed words of Jesus. 
He has done so much for me. God seems to have given me an in- 
spiration to write this to-night. It may be you need courage. Now 
be true to God, and if you are not sanctified, get there; for God 
means every word when He says, " Without holiness no man shall 
see the Lord." We can rrot get around that. I know I am ready to 
meet God now. 

Your loving sister in the battle for God, home, and native land, 

Bertha. 

My Precious Brother and Sister: We have been working hard 
to-day. May and I have been ironing all day. We did three iron- 
ings. Well, I would not be anybody else to-night but poor me. 

God says, " Blessed are ye that hunger now : for ye shall be 
filled." I have not been hungry yet, but it applies just the same. 

I will tell you we are in the last church of Asia, spoken of in 
Revelation. We are in the Laodicean church. Hear what it says 
about it : "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans 
write : These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, 
the beginning of the creation of God ; I know thy works, that thou 
art neither cold nor hot (isn't that as true as anything ever was 
true?) : I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art 
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my 
mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, 
and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, 
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," etc. Here is the 
promise to those who are faithful and are hot : " To him that over- 
cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also 
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Thank 
God for that. See well to it that you are not lukewarm, for God 
has said He will spue such out of His mouth. 

I was thinking the other day how wonderfully God kept me 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 1 25 

the time I took Bessie to Elkpoint, and came back the next day 
alone. Well, I am sure I enjoyed the trip. I read nearly all the 
way home, and never thought of being afraid of my team. God 
spared me for a purpose, and I intend to fulfill that purpose to 
the best of my ability. 

I wish, if it were God's will, that you could have the privilege 
of being in our Bible class. I would not miss it for anything, if I 
could help it. It is getting more interesting every day. We have 
it the first hour every day. 

Well, yesterday was election day. The night before, Brother 

was in here. I asked him if Brother , a holiness man, was 

going to vote for Bryan, as I had heard he was. He said he would 
not be surprised if he did. I thought it would never do for a 
holiness man to vote for Bryan or McKinley, so yesterday morning 
I asked the Professor about it, and he did not know, but said that 
I might go out and find him and talk to him about it. They live 
just a little ways out of town, so I got ready and started on my 
mission. I met him on the way coming to town, and said, " I 
hear you are going to vote for Bryan. Is that so?" "No," he 
said. He said he used to be a Democrat, but he could not conscien- 
tiously vote for either party now, and that he was going to vote 
for prohibition. Of course I was glad of that. On my way home 
I passed the postmaster as he was out posting bills, and I said, as I 
passed him, " Vote a good vote for Woolley this time." I came 
home then, after having a nice morning walk and out on post for 
Woolley. Pretty soon the school-bell rang, and I started for the 

college, and on the sidewalk met Brother , and said, as he 

passed, " Vote for Woolley." He said, " I have done that already." 

I tell you I was glad. E cast his first vote for Woolley this 

time. This is the first time he voted, and he started out right. 
He wrote some poetry, and showed it to me. I have part of it : — 

"Hurrah for Woolley, just for fun, 
Enough to make the rummies run. 
When Woolley's in, how I shall shout 
To see the rummies digging out. 
I'd vote for right, and lose my vote, 
Before I would make a whisky bloat." 



126 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

We have some good Prohibitionists here. Charles will be able to 
vote next time, if he lives and the world stands. 

To-morrow and next day will be examination. Well, I am not 
afraid of it. I must stop writing now, as we were intending to go 

out to Brother 's to have prayer-meeting with the young folks 

to-night. God bless you. I am saved, sanctified, and ready for 
glory. Your loving sister, Bertha. 

My Precious Sister and Brother: I am so glad I have salva- 
tion, if I did not I would have a terrible time of it. God has 
promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and He is just as good 
as His word. 

I am reading " Paradise Lost." I think it is very interesting. 
It is poetry, and you know I like poetry so well. I am so rushed 
with my studies. We are all well and happy, and I sincerely hope 
you are. God bless and lead you out in His divine love. I wish 
you could be here in our Bible class, and get the good of it too. 
It is just fine. 

We are getting along very well. God is with us. There has been 
a show here in town, but of course I don't care for such things. 
God's people have something better. I am so glad I have the old- 
time religion, and am ready to meet God. 

You must not think we have forgotten you when you don't get 
letters as often as you used to. I am kept busy nearly all the time, 
and sometimes we have nothing to send letters with ; but our Father 
is rich, and He will carry us through. I can not express how 
thankful I am for the privilege of coming to this school, and I 
am willing to go through hardships. God will tide us over and see 
us through. May God's richest blessing rest upon you, and may 
you be where He wants you to be. 

" God be with you till we meet again, 
By His counsels guide, uphold you, 
With His sheep securely fold you ; 
God be with you till we meet again." 

I am, as ever, a lover of truth and right on every line, 

Bertha. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 127 

My Precious Sister Alice: It has been snowing to-day, and it 
is quite wintry. It did look so pretty while it was snowing. 

A few evenings ago Miss A , one of my teachers, and I went 

over to see a woman whose husband was killed in the mines last 

summer. I took a guitar and Miss A a mouth-organ, and when 

we got there, we played " In the Sweet By-and-By," and " Home, 

Sweet Home," outside the door. Mrs. S then opened the 

door, and invited us in, and we played and sang for her and the 
children for some time. Then we had prayer, and went home. 
When her husband died, she took it very hard. He had been a 
very wicked man, and was killed almost instantly by a falling rock, 
and lived only a few minutes after it struck him. After he had 
been dead a short time, I went to see her, and talked to her about 
religion, and prayed with her. She is not thirty years old, and 
she has four children. She was all broken up, and said she wanted 
to be saved, and I kept praying for her. I saw her a couple of times 
after that, and she said she felt better, but could not say she was 
saved yet. When we were there the other night, I asked her if 
she knew she was saved, and she said, "Yes," and her face just 
shone. I tell you it made me feel good to hear her say that, and to 
know I had done my duty, and that she had accepted Christ. Surely 
the joy of being instrumental in saving a soul is wonderful. If you 
have not tried it already, try it. It is grand. Let us see well 
to it that when we come up to the judgment-bar of God that no 
one will confront us and say, "If you had done your duty, I might 
have been saved ; but now I am lost, forever lost, and my blood is 
on your skirts." God helping me, I intend to do my duty. I know 
it is a cross; it seems like it is one of the greatest I have sometimes, 
but God has promised more grace, and then it will not seem so hard 

We have students' prayer-meeting every Friday night. I enjoy 
them so much. Honestly, it seems like a miracle, and surely it is 
almost one, that we ever came to this school. Truly, — 

" God moves in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform ; 
He plants His footsteps in the sea, 
And rides upon the storm." 



128 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

God knew where we ought to be, and worked it around in His 
own way. I am in two Bible classes. One recites an hour and the 
other one a half an hour. If it were God's will, I should be so glad 
if you could be here to get Bible knowledge. I would not miss our 
Bible classes for anything I know of, unless God wanted me to. 
In our first Bible class we have been having the subject of mar- 
riage, and I believe I can tell the meaning of the scripture, " Let 
your women keep silence in the churches." We got right down into 
deep things, that is what I love. In our second class we are study- 
ing the four beasts mentioned in Daniel. It is a fine subject. I tell 
you I am interested. Professor Taylor is our Bible teacher. He is 
the president of the college, and has a fine education. He has 
made a special study of the Bible. It is blessed now, but better on 
before. I have barely got a start into the deep things of the 
Bible. Many people do not even get a start. 

I can see God's hand leading me all along ever since I can re- 
member. He has been so good to me. My experience has done me 
good, and I will know how to sympathize with others who have a 
hard lot. Sometimes I get lonely and would like to see you, but I 
am generally kept so busy studying. But time and tide wait for no 
man, and we must improve every opportunity, for they come but 
once. We are all working for glory, and if such a thing should 
happen as us not meeting again on this earth, if we are faithful 
we shall soon be in the mansion which is prepared for us, where we 
shall go no more out forever. Won't that be grand? In this 
world we meet and part and go from place to place, feeling that we 
are strangers, and that we are seeking a city not made with hands, 
eternal and in the heavens ; but pretty soon things are going to 
change. We shall go into that city. Oh Hallelujah! No more 
parting, tears, heartaches, pains, and sorrows, but eternal rest and 
happiness. Let us be faithful unto death, and God will give us a 
crown of life. 

" There are so many hills to climb upward, 
I often am longing for rest ; 
But He who appoints me my pathway 
Knows just what is needful and best. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 120, 

I know in His word He has promised 
That my strength, ' it shall be as my day ; ' 

And the toils of the road will seem nothing, 
When I get to the end of the way. 

" When the last feeble step has been taken, 
And the gates of that city appear, 
And the beautiful songs of the angels 

Float out on my listening ear; 
When all that now seems so mysterious, 
Will be bright and as clear as the day; 
Then the toils of the road will seem nothing, 
When I get to the end of the way." 

1 like that song so much. There are four verses, but these two I 
like especially. Read Rom. 8:35-39. God has said, "Heaven and 
earth shall pass, but not one jot or title shall pass from the law 
till all be fulfilled." 

You talk of not having much to write. Well, I know how that 
is, for I have a hard time to write unless the Lord helps me. When 
I was in St. Louis, where I saw interesting things nearly every 
day, I had no trouble to write. 

I know I am saved and sanctified and ready to die and go to 
glory. Be true to God at all costs. It pays. May God's richest 
blessing rest upon you is my prayer. Don't give up for anything, 
but get closer to God. 

Your loving sister, for God and home and native land, and to 
lift up the fallen. - Bertha. 

November 22, 1900. 

My Dear Sister C : I received your letter just one week ago 

to-night. I had been ironing all day, and was very tired, and your 
letter did me so much good. It was so refreshing. I often have 
spoken about your not writing, and wondered why you did not, and 
came near writing you again. I'm so glad you wrote, for it does 
encourage me to know you are still in the battle. We were enabled 
to gain some wonderful victories together in St. Louis through 



130 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Jesus, who has said, " We shall be more than conquerors." I 
liave had some blessed times at St. Louis. But I know I am where 
God wants me now, and that is enough. This is a " Holiness 
School " in reality. A person is surrounded with good influences, 
and any one who will serve God is encouraged, and has a good 
chance of doing so. This school is run by no denomination or 
church, and is perfectly free from sectism or churchism. They 
believe that if you have your name written on the Lamb's Book of 
Life in heaven, that is sufficient. Of course they are not preju- 
diced against anybody, whether they belong to any church or not. 
People who belong to churches come here, and are as kindly wel- 
comed as those who belong to no church. I think that is the right 
way. I am glad you have been praying for us, for we need your 
prayers. It is truly a wonderful thing to have the prayers of 
Christians. The Bible says, " The fervent effectual prayers of a 
righteous man availeth much." We have proven that to be true, 
have we not? It is wonderful how the Lord answered our prayers, 
both in your behalf and in ours. Bless God, we have a Father who 
is always the nearest when we need Him the most, if we only put 
our trust in Him. When I got your letter, before I opened it, I 
knelt down and asked God to prepare me to read the letter, and to 
bless you; and when I read it, I cried, not because I felt bad, but 
I felt so good. Oh, hallelujah for the old-time religion. It just 
suits me, but I want to get more of it. I prayed for you and Rosa. 
I feel so interested in her, although I have never seen her. I will 
remember and pray for her, that God may raise her up. I know 
He can do it, and I believe He will, if He sees it would be for the 
best. I also will pray for you. I believe in praying for one an- 
other. I know it is a great help. Let us unite our prayers for Rosa, 
also your mother and father, and I believe something will give way. 
It must be God who is softening your father's heart. God is able 
to finish what He has begun. He will do all He can. He says, 
"Ask largely, that your joy may be full." 

It would be real nice if we could see each other again, and talk 
our hearts out to each other and pray ; but still, if we are faithful, 
we shall walk the golden streets together in the city where God's 
people " shall go no more out forever," and where we shall never 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 131 

part, and "farewells" are never heard. Hallelujah! Nothing can 
keep us from this but ourselves, for God himself has said, " Who 
shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or dis- 
tress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
As.it is written. For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are 
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all things we are 
more than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am per- 
suaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor 
depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the 
love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 8:35-39. 
God has also said, " Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle 
shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Let us be 
true and faithful, and He will reward us. 

It has been snowing this afternoon, and looks very pretty out- 
side. It is the first real snow we have had. We have a good 
Bible class here. Our teacher is a very spiritual man. I would like 
you to be here, if it were God's will ; still He knows best, and let 
us pray for your freedom in the work, and that He will have His 
way. We would be glad to hear from you whenever you can 
write. 

I want to say that I am very interested in fallen girls, and the 
interest is increasing, and I would not wonder if that would be my 
lifework. God alone knows. I am sure I should enjoy it. 

God be with you till we meet again, whether in heaven or on 
earth. Let us be true to God. We have gotten into some pretty 
close places sometimes, but God has always helped us out. I know 
to-night that I am saved, sanctified, and ready to meet a just God. 
I would not want to part with this assurance if you would pay 
ten thousand worlds like this at my feet in exchange; and yet if we 
are not careful, we will sell Christ for less than thirty pieces of 
silver. God help us. Be faithful, and we shall have the privilege 
of walking the golden streets arm in arm. Hallelujah! 

Your loving sister for truth and right, and to lift up the fallen, 

Bertha. 



1$1 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

November, iooo. 

My Dear Brother and Sister : There are lots of things here 
that seem to help one along, but unless you keep close to Jesus you 
are in great danger of backsliding. " Where much is given, much 
is required." We are in the last times. It can be proven by the 
Bible. If what is said about the Laodicean church don't hit us, I 
don't know what does. 

I am quite interested in my studies. I expect to finish history, 
geography, etymology, and spelling this term. I am not bragging, 
but I can say that I very seldom go to class without knowing my 
lesson. My examination grades might be interesting to you : 
Arithmetic, ioo per cent; geography, 98; etymology, 97; civil gov- 
ernment, 80; music, 90; spelling, 98. 

I am saved, sanctified, and ready for heaven now. 

Your loving sister, saved by grace, Bertha. 

My Dear Sister Alice: I know I am ready to meet God. I 
mean to spend eternity in heaven. God is wonderfully helping me 
with my studies. I do not believe I ever learned faster in my life. 
I am keeping up my journal still. I have filled one book and 
started on another. When I was in St. Louis, I wrote a good deal 
in it ; but since I came here, I have not seen or been in very inter- 
esting places to find much to write. I have learned a good deal since 
I left you. Perhaps not as much in books as in experience. T 
have learned that you can not depend on any one but the Lord 
I have also learned that if you have any secrets, you must keep 
them to yourself. I have had some pretty good times since I say 
you last. I thought the other day of the last walk you and I had 
together. I hope to see you again, and enjoy another walk with 
you ; but if that should never be on this earth, we can walk the - 
golden streets together in the next world if we will. There will bf 
no more parting there. Hallelujah! Won't that be grand! 

How changed things are from two years ago, or even one year 
ago. God has been so good to me, and I have had some wonderfully 
good times. 

I was weighed last night. I weighed 126H pounds. I think 
Charlie weighs about 165 pounds. He was awful sick this sum 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 1 33 

mer with fever, and got so poor. God healed him, and now he 
weighs that much, and looks rosy and plump. I think he is fatter 
than he has ever been, and he looks healthier. Bless God, I have 
so much to thank Him for. May He help me to feel as thankful as 
I ought. I know I am saved and sanctified now. 

" Give fools their gold, and knaves their power, 

Let fortune's bubbles rise and fall : 
Who plants a field, or trains a flower, 

Or plants a tree, is more than all. 
For he who blesses most is blest, 

And God and man will own his worth, 
Who seeks to leave as his bequest 

An added beauty to the earth." 

" We pass this way but once — 
Where saints and heroes trod, 
Through toil and pain at last to gain 
The paradise of God." 

Good-by, Bertha. 

December, 1900. 
My Precious Sister Alice: I wish you a merry Christmas and 
a happy New Year. I received your letter last night stating your 
poor health. You may be sure I prayed for you. I did not worry 
about yon, because I know God knows best, and can care for you 
better than any one else; but I could hardly help crying. I just 
could not help it, for I still hold you as dear as ever. I thought 
of old times, and I did ask God if it was His will to let me see you 
again in His own time. Honestly, my highest desire is to be a 
true soldier, so help me God. I go and tell my Father in heaven 
all about it. We know what it is to have hard times, but bless God. 
there will be no more sorrow, suffering, pain, or trouble when 
Jesus comes. Life is short at the longest. Let us be true, no mat- 
ter what we may have to endure in this world. If we do not meet 



134 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

on earth, we can dwell together in heaven. I surely will not forget 
to pray for you. You pray God to heal you, if it is His will. He 
can do it. 

Later. — Christmas is over. I think I am going out to canvass 
for soap this morning. We are having revival meetings. We are 
having" good times. I was at Macon last Monday. W r e went to take 
a girl who had been staying with us. She went to her grand- 
mother in Yorkton, Assiniboia, Canada. When the train came 
rumbling into Macon, the bells ringing, and all made me think of 
old times and of my train rides. It soon pulled out again.. 

Be true to God at any cost. I will pray for you ; now you pray. 
I am still saved and sanctified. Your loving sister, Bertha. 

My Precious Brother axd Sister: I am very tired to-night. 
Although so tired in body, yet I am resting so peacefully in the 
arms of Jesus that I feel real sweet rest in my soul, and really my 
body is resting. I feel victory all through me, and if I ever feel 
rather downcast, that really does not worry me ; but when the 
world's herce winds are blowing temptations sharp and keen, I feel 
such a peace in knowing my Saviour stands between. He stands to 
shield me from all danger, and when earthly friends are gone, or 
can not help us if they should want to, He has promised never to 
leave us alone. Also this verse is the sentiment of my heart many 
times when the shades of night are gathering around us, and I 
sometimes sing it : — 

"Anywhere with Jesus I can go to sleep, 
When the darkening shadows round about me creep; 
Knowing I shall waken never more to roam, 
Anywhere with Jesus will be Home, Sweet Home." 

Be true to God. Be sure you don't backslide. You can not stand 
still after you have the light, if you don't walk in it. Now do see 
that you are ready at all times. Your doom may be sealed, if you 
are not on the lookout and see that you are ready continually. 

Bertha. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 135 

December 31, 1900. 

My Dear Brother and Sister: Yesterday after dinner Charlie 

told me that Mrs. H (a woman living out in the edge of town, 

and who has consumption) would like for us to come over and play 
and sing for her. So Homer, Hattie, Charlie, and I went. Charlie 
played the guitar, and we sang. When we entered the room, she 
was sitting on the bed, leaning on a pillow. We played a few songs 
and prayed with her. It was almost time for the prayer-meeting, 
so we left. Before leaving, I asked her if she was saved. She 
said, " Yes, I know I am." We had a good time ourselves doing our 
duty. It was such a lovely afternoon. 

We have been having revival meetings for over a week. There 
were eleveiT preachers at church the other night. Four persons 
were sanctified. These folks have the Bible doctrine. They let 
God do the convicting for holiness. Of course they preach it, and 
let God send the truth spoken to their hearts. A man is not re- 
sponsible for what is in his heart, but he is responsible as far as 
getting it out is concerned. A man who is justified lives just the 
same as a sanctified man. The only difference is that the justified 
man has enemies within and without, and a sanctified man has 
them on the outside only. Of course God commands us to be holy 
even as He is holy. 

I wish you a happy New Year. I have nothing to send you 
except love and good wishes. We are living in the last times. Be 
sure your title is clear to heaven. Jesus may come at any time. 

Your sister, saved, sanctified, and on the stretch for glory, and 
expect by all means to get there. Bertha. 

January i. — We had watch-night meeting last night, and had a 
good meeting too. At 12 : 00 o'clock Charlie tolled the college bell 
for the dying year of 1900; and as the new year came in, the bell 
swung merrily, welcoming the incoming year. We were on our 
knees praying while the bell was tolling and ringing, and I could 
not help but cry as 1900 slipped out of my fingers. Not a moment 
could I recall of it. But it is all right. I entered on this year as I 
did last, not knowing what was coming, but I am confident that 
God will take us through. Christ is coming, and that soon ; all 



136 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

prophecies and evidence prove that. Are we ready? I can say 
that I am. Be sure you are. 

Your loving sister for God and home and native land, 

Bertha. 

January, 1901. 

My Dear Sister C : We received your letter last night. T 

have not been feeling very well, so did not write before. Although 
I did not write, I have remembered you and Rosa in my prayers. 
There was a while I coughed so at night I would not seem to rest 
until towards morning; but for the last two nights God has won- 
derfully undertaken, and I have rested so much better, and I would 
not cough hardly any. 

Be encouraged in the Lord. There is never a place that you 
will come to in the Christian warfare but what God can take you 
through. He is a Captain that never let a ship go down that was 
intrusted to Him. We are like a ship on a boisterous and trouble- 
some sea of life ; but when the waves get to coming too high, Jesus 
says, " Peace, be still." I am so glad that Jesus is a friend that stick - 
eth closer than a brother. Bertha. 

January, 1901. 

My Dear Sister and Brother: I haven't been feeling very well, 
but did not have to go to bed. I had a cough, and cold in my head, 
but the cold in my head seems to be entirely gone now. I have no 
pain especially. Charlie looks so fat and healthy. He was very 
sick last summer. I guess you have no idea how bad he was. He 
looked so thin and haggard, but God finally saw he had been sick 
long enough, and He made him well and healthy. 

I am still saved and sanctified, and ready to meet God now. 
Never lie down without knowing you are ready to meet the Judge 
of all the earth, who has said, " Follow peace with all men and holi- 
ness, without which no man shall see the Lord." It means a good 
deal to be justified even. We can not yield to any bad thing with- 
out sinning. May God's richest blessings rest upon you till we 
meet again, whether on earth or in heaven. We are praying for 
you. Jesus may come any time. Let us be ready, therefore, and 



A YOUNG MISSIONARY 1 37 

may He find us watching and waiting and praying. I think it is 
awful if you go visiting on God's day, which He has commanded 
us to keep holy. I think it is awful to go and visit with wicked 
people on the Sabbath day. " If thou turn away thy foot from 
the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the 
Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable ; and shalt honor 
him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor 
speaking thine own words : then shalt thou delight thyself in the 
Lord ; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the 
earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father ; for the 
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Isa. 58: 13, 14. 

February, 1901. — It has been a long time since I have written 
to you. I am getting stronger and better. The Lord has wonder- 
fully helped me in my body. He is a friend in need. Bertha. 

January, 1901. 

My Dear Sister Alice: You must excuse me for not writing 
before, but I have not been very well. I have not been to school 
since New Years, but I expect to start again this week or next. 
Next week is the last week of this term, and I am anxious to get 
back to school so I can catch up for examination. I expect to pass 
geography, history, and spelling. I had excellent grades in all my 
studies last term. I like to study. I hope you are feeling pretty 
well in body by this time. God bless you. It seems to me like this 
year has passed away so fast. I believe I have learned more simple 
love and faith in God in this past year than I ever had before. 
We had some strange experiences this past year, but God has stood 
by us through all. I am glad to hear you are saved and getting 
along so well. I am getting much better. I think I did not take 
enough exercise when I was going to school, and I confined myself 
to study too closely. I have had a very, bad cough. 

I am so glad so many got saved up there. Let us pray that they 
may hold out firm to the end. That was nice about that little boy 
that got saved. God wonderfully uses children a great many times 
in the salvation of others. Bertha. 



138 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

February, 1901. 
Precious Girl : I regret that you have not heard from me for 
two weeks. I have been pretty bad, but I am getting better. I 
was pretty bad until last Sunday, when we prayed for my healing. 
God undertook the case, and I am getting better and stronger. My 
case is in the hands of a Doctor who never lost a case. I expect 
I will be able to start to school pretty soon. Your last letter was 
so good. The reason you did not get a letter sooner was because 
I waited to get a stamp to send it with. I have remembered to 
pray for you, and will continue to do so. I will try and write you 
a long letter next time. I am still saved and sanctified. We are 
having fine weather these days. Your loving sister, Bertha. 

March 6, 1901. 
My Dear Sister Alice: I am getting so much better in my 
body. I had three of the elders of the church come and anoint me 
with oil and pray for me. The Lord is restoring me. I go out for 
a walk every day. While I could not write, yet I did not forget to 
pray for you. It seems to be quite a nice day to-day. I guess I will 
go out and take some exercise after a while. Be true to God. 

Your sister, saved and sanctified, Bertha. 

These last few letters to her friends I had to finish for 
her, as she was too tired to do it herself. For that reason 
they have no real ending, as we only put in here what she 
wrote herself. None of us thought of such a thing as her 
leaving us. We all thought she was getting better. She 
had blessed seasons with her Saviour, and walked and 
talked with Him until the last. She would, as it were, talk 
face to face with Jesus. I would hear her say, as she was 
sitting in her chair, " Oh Jesus, how I love you." Several 
times she told me that she saw Jesus. Sometimes I would 
run to her room, and ask her if she called me. She would 
say, "No, I only said, Hallelujah." The last Sunday she 
lived she got down on her knees, and praved and wept with 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 139 

two unsaved girls who came in to see her. Oh, how she 
pleaded with them to give their hearts to God. Oh, how 
surprised we were when her blessed spirit took its flight, 
April 17, 1 90 1, from this cold world to a world of jov and 
bliss ; but we have nothing to say. She has always been the 
Lord's, and He had a right to take her. When but a baby 
I would ask her whose girl she was, and she would say, 
" Jesus'." 



BIBLE REFERENCES FROM HER 
JOURNAL 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON SANCTIFICATION OR HOLINESS. 

Scriptures that seemingly oppose holiness. 2 Chron. 6: 36 
(may not sin); 1 Kings 8:46; Prov. 20:9 (nobody); 
Eccles. 7:20 (natural man) ; Rom. 6:20. The one verse, 
Rom. 6:6, is sufficient to answer all the above. 

Scriptures interpret Scriptures. — Isa. 42 : 17. Backslider 
(he that is). Servant Israel not in original Roman Catholic. 
Job 5:7; 15:14, 16. (Spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, 
and Bildad the Shuhite, Job's enemies. God did not order 
it. Job 42:7.) Matt. 17: 16, 17 (to a Jew) ; Rom. 3: 10, 
18; Ps. 53; Ps. 14; (Rom. 8) Rom. 7:14, 25 (not con- 
verted but awakened); 2 Cor. 12:7; Phil. 3:12; 1 John 
1:8; Acts 3:19; Rom. 8:7. (Carnal mind; justification 
is like cutting down a tree, and sanctification is taking out 
the roots.) " Sanctify them through thy truth, Thy word 
is truth." John 17: 17. 

Commands to be sanctified. " Sanctify yourselves there- 
fore, and be ye holy ; for I am the Lord your God." Lev. 



I40 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

20:7. "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." 
1 Thess. 4:3; Heb. 12: 15. "And lest I should be exalted 
above measure through the abundance of the revelations, 
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of 
Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure." Some 
people say, " You have to sin a little to keep humble." Well, 
if that is the case, the more we sin the better, as we 
would get more humble ; but it is not the case, for common 
sense teaches us better. Besides, God says, " He that com- 
mitteth sin is of the devil." 1 John 3:8. Prov. 14:34; 
Rom. 6:1. 

The carnal mind. Rom. 7:14-20; 8:6-8; Gal. 5 : 17— 
21 ; Matt. 15 : 19; Jer. 17: 9, 10; Isa. 1 : 5, 6 ; Gal. 6: 8. 

Is a birth state. Gen. 5:3; Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4; Ps. 
58 : 3 ; Eph. 2 : 3. 

Remains after conversion. 1 Cor. 3 : 1-3 ; Eph. 4 : 22, 23 ; 
Heb. 12': 1. 

Provisions for its destruction. Rom. 8:3; Gal. 3:13; 
1 John 3:8; Rom. 6:6; Ps. 51:2, 5-7; Gal. 5:19-21, 24; 
1 John 1:7; Col. 2:11; 2 Cor. 6 : 4-18 ; Lev. 20 : 8 ; Eze. 
37:28; Jude 1; Heb. 2: 11; Titus 2: 14; Heb. 10: 10; Heb. 
13: 12. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON DIVINE HEALING. 

(7) Sickness by sin. Lev. 26: 14-16; Deut. 28:58-61. 

(?) Recovery is of God. Ex. 15 : 26 ; Ex. 2^ : 23 ; Deut. 
7: 15; Ps. 67: 1, 2; Ps. 103:2-5. 

( j) Instances of healing. 2 Kings 20 : 1-7 : Phil. 2 : 27. 

(4) Christ healed the sick. Matt. 4 : 23 ; 8 : 16, 17 ; Mark 
6:5,6. 

(5) Commanded His disciples to heal. Matt. 10:8. 

(6) Healing to accompany preaching. Mark 16: 15-18. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 



I 4 I 



(7) They did heal the siek. Acts 5: 16; Acts 28:8, 9. 

(8) Retained in the church. James 5:14, 15; 1 Cor. 
12: 9, 28, 30. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON " THE OLD TESTAMENT NOT DONE 
AWAY WITH." 

Rom. 8:4; John 1:17; Acts 13 : 39 ; Gal. 3 : 23, 29 ; Gal. 
5 : 18, 23. Anszcers. Matt. 5 : 17, 19. (Jesus kept the Law, 
and He is our Pattern.) Luke 16: 16, 17 ; 1 Peter 1 : 23.-25 ; 
Isa. 40 : 8 ; Rom. 6 : 14, 15 ; James 1 : 21-25 ; 2 Peter 1:21; 
Dent. 4:2; Rev. 22 : 18, 19 ; 22 : 9 ; Ps. 19 : 7, 8 ; 2 Tim. 3 : 
16, 17; Luke 16: 29, 31 ; John 17: 17. 

Xot under. Col. 2:13-23; Heb. 9:10; Heb. 10; 16; 
Rom. 2 : 15-25 ; Rom. 7:6, 7 ; John 14 : 23, 24 ; John 15 : 10 ; 
7 : 16, 17; Isa. 42: 4. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON TITHING. 

Gen. 28 : 22 ; Heb. 7:1, 2 ; Gen. 14 : 18-20 ; Neh. 10 : 36 ; 
Matt. 23 : 23 ; Luke 1 1 : 42 ; Lev. 27 : 30-34 ; Dent. 26 : 12 ; 
Num. 18:12, 21; Neh. 12:44; Neh. 10:38; Num. 19: 
25-28. 

When to give. Ex. 34 : 26 ; Ex. 23 : 16, 19. 

Result. Prov. 3:9, 10; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; Prov. 28:27; 
Prov. 19: 7. 

Giving. Mai. 1 : 6-1 1 ; 3 : 8-12 ; Deut. 16 : 9-17 ; Luke 
6 : 30-38 ; 2 Cor. 8 : 1-9. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

Preface. 1 Cor. 15:3-8; Gal. 1: 1, 11, 12, 17; Acts 26: 
15-18. 

1 Cor. 11:20-30; Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; 



142 A YOUNG MISSIONARY 

Luke 22:19, 20; 1 Cor. 10:20, 21; Acts 2:42-46; Acts 
20: 7. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON MUSIC. 

Invention of. Gen. 4:21. 
Its effect on Saul. 1 Sam. 16 : 14-23. 
Used for zcorsJiip. 2 Sam. 6:5; 1 Chron. 15:28; 16: 
42; 2 Chron. 7:6; 29:25; Ps. 33 ; 81 ; 92; 108; 150; Dan. 

3:5. 

At festivities. Isa. 5:12; 14 : 1 1 ; Amos 6:5; Luke 15 : 
25; 1 Cor. 14:7. 

In heaven. Rev. 5:8; 14:2. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON THE FULNESS OF GOD. 

(Based on Eph. 3: 19.) 

• Rom. 15:13; 1 Pet. 1:8; Isa. 26:3; Matt. 9:29; Ps. 
16 : 11; John 15:11; Matt. 6 : 22 ; John 7:1751 John 1 : 5, 6 ; 
Micah 3:8; Acts 1:8; Acts 15 : 8, 9; Ps. 104: 16; Isa. 61 : 
3; Ps. 92:12-14; Phil. 1:11; Gal. 5:22, 23; John 15:8; 
Rom. 15 : 14 ; Matt. 25 : 21 ; Acts 1 1 : 24 ; Ps. 65 : 9 ; Ps. 1 16 : 
13 ; John 4 : 14 ; John 7 : 38, 39 ; Ps. 36 : 8 ; Rev. 22 : 17= 

In the Father's dispensation they had the cup of salva- 
tion. 

In the Son's, the well of water, typical of salvation. 

In the Holy Ghost dispensation, rivers of water, or sal- 
vation. 

Water is typical of salvation. 

BIBLE REFERENCES ON THE LAMB OF GOD. 

Lev. 3 : 6 ; 1 Peter 1:19: Lev. 4 : 32 ; Num. 28 : 3 ; Lev. 
22 : 20-25, 30 ; Matt. 3 : 17 ; Lam. 3 : 22, 23 ; Isa. 53 : 7 ; Matt. 
11 : 11. 



OR THE LIFE OF BERTHA RASMUSSEN 143 

The Lord's Prayer — Matthew 6. 

The Commandments — Exodus 20. 

The Beatitudes — Matthew 5. 

Paul's Conversion — Acts 9. 

.Christ's Great Prayer — John 17:17. 

The Prodigal Son — Luke 15. 

The Ten Virgins — Matthew 25. 

The Parable of the Talents — Matthew 25. 

Abiding Chapter — John 15. 

Resurrection Chapter — 1 Corinthians 15. 

Shepherd Chapter — John 10. 

Love Chapter — 1 Corinthians 13. 

Armor Chapter — Ephesians 6. 

Bible Study Psalm — Psalm 119. 

The Great Invitation — Rev. 22:17; Isa. 55:1. 

Rest Verse — Matt. 11:28. 

Worker's Verse — 2 Timothy 2 : 28. 

Another Worker's Verse — Ps. 126:6. 

Tongue Chapter — James 3. 

Traveler's Psalm — Psalm 121. 

The Greatest Verse — John 3:16. 

How to be Saved — Acts 16: 13-15. 

Should I Confess Christ — Romans 10. 



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